A HARDSTONE, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, HORN AND MALACHITE INLAID 'HUANGHUALI' BOX AND COVER LATE MING / EARLY QING DYNASTY

the rectangular box with a removable tray on the interior, fitted with a low cover colorfully inlaid with wood, mother-of-pearl, malachite, horn and bone depicting a moonlit scene with five deer playfully prancing beneath a large paulownia tree, beside rockwork issuing narcissus blooms and lingzhi sprigs, with clouds swirling above, the sides of the box and cover with a keyfret band inlaid with silver wire, the wood warm brown in tone with auburn tinges displaying attractive grain (3)

The cover is in good overall condition, with few notable replacements, including the 3 inch 'tree trunk' and 1 inch of an upper branch (the replacement material being domestic cow horn). Some of the deers' legs have splits in the mother-of-pearl inlay suggesting they may have been reapplied. The interior tray is of a different color and grain wood, and the wire T-scroll inlay is of a different color, metal and quality than the silver inlay on the box and cover, suggesting that the interior tray may be later associated. The box is in good condition and has fine patina. There is a 2 3/4 inch spilt in the wood associated with a filled-in chip on the edge of the base.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present piece belongs to a group of boxes that were produced during the late Ming dynasty and well into the Qing dynasty. The most comprehensive group of such boxes can be found in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, cat.nos. 219-248. For a comparable example, see a box decorated in this inlay technique with a scene of ten variously-colored deer, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 17th May 1989, lot 348.