A finely carved cinnabar red lacquer cup and cupstand Mark and period of Qianlong

the deep rounded sides of the cup rising to a slightly in-turned mouthrim, finely carved in shallow relief through the rich red cinnabar lacquer with a pair of clawed-dragons, their long scaly bodies striding through flames and cloud swirls, the foliated tray similarly carved with three dragons pacing through flames and cloud swirls, the reverse with further cloud swirls, the interior with inscribed six-character mark, the bowl resting above the cupstand with body decorated with 'six dragons' motif amongst clouds, the foot and mouthrim in plain red lacquer, the interior and base in contrasting black inscribed with four-character liulong baowan ('The Six Dragon Treasured Bowl'), all against a diaper ground and enclosed by bands of key-fret

A French Collection.

The overall condition is very good. The bowl has a chip on the foot and a thin 2 cm-long deep scratch extending below the rim. The stand has light wear to the rim of the cup holder, three 1 cm chips on the foot. The foot has been separated at the joint and restuck. The interior of the cup has been repainted around the joint (about a1.5 cm band around the foot). The exterior has also had some retouching to the joint line.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Expertly carved with sinuous dragons on complex forms, Qianlong lacquer stands and matching bowls are rare. A closely related example, in the Qing Court collection, and still in Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pl. 12; a pair of bowls and stands, but without reign marks, was offered at Christie's Hong Kong, 27^th April 1997, lot 19; and a similar cupstand, but with only one key-fret band encircling the rim of the cup, was sold in our London rooms, 21^st June 1977, lot 215.

This bowl and stand is an outstanding example of the technical proficiency of craftsmen working in the Lacquer Workshops of the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshop) located in the Forbidden City. Rendered with animated expressions, striding legs and powerful twisting tails, the five-clawed dragon is symbolic of the emperor, and the dynamic yet intricate treatment of their scaly bodies would have satisfied the opulent taste of the Qianlong emperor. This energy is heightened by the considerable depth of carving and richness of surface texture, which has been made possible by the substantial wall of lacquer that has been built up through the time-consuming process of applying thin layers of lacquer. The tremendous skill of the carver can also be appreciated with considering the overall composition and shape of the vessels, and they way in which the craftsman has overcome the challenges presented by curved surfaces and acute angles to create an ornate and harmonious design.

The form of this stand and bowl dates back to silverware of the Tang dynasty and the petal-like foliations and a slight upturn of the flanged rim were embraced by the Liao, Song and Ming dynasties. A Ming prototype for the present stand, with Xuande reign mark and of the period, was sold in our London rooms, 14^th December 1976, lot 218. Compare also a Yongle stand of this form, with reign mark and of the period, but carved with phoenixes and lotus scrolls, from the Lee family Collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3^rd December 2008, lot 2621.

For bowls of this shape and decoration, also with Qianlong reign mark and of the period, see a pair sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29^th November 2005, lot 1564.