A LARGE CINNABAR LACQUER 'HUNDRED BOYS' BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, JIAQING PERIOD

of rectangular form, the flat top surface deftly carved and incised in high relief through the rich red cinnabar lacquer with the 'Hundred Boys' at play in a fenced garden in front of a pavilion, a group performing a dragon dance while others parade with  lanterns and puppets, under a band playing musical instruments and flying kites, all within a border of craggy rockwork, gnarled pines and swirling clouds, the underside similarly composed with a lion dance at the bottom, another group playing hide and seek while a smaller assembly is seated reading books in a study at the upper right corner, the edges shrouded with a variety of trees, cragged rocks and swirling clouds, all reserved on a meticulously carved diaper ground, the interior of the box and of the cover lacquered in black   

Christie's Hong Kong, 26th April 1999, lot 557.

The box is overall in very good condition. There are some minor nicks and flakes including a small chip to the tip of the plant bud one boy is holding in his hand on the side. The cinnabar cover has been covered by a thin layer of lacquer probably to conceal some typical age cracks especially to the corners and edges.
"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."

The present box is a fine example of the revival of lacquer carving in the Ming Dynasty style during the Jiaqing reign. For a late Ming prototype of the design, see the top of a box dated to the 16th / 17th century in the collections of the National Palace Museum, included in the Exhibition Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors, Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, cat. p. 94, pl. 084.

The depiction of 'Hundred Boys' at play, representing the wish for many offsprings, was a popular theme in the decorative arts of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The 'Hundred Boys' refers to King Wen of the Zhou dynasty who had ninety-nine sons and adopted one more to make one hundred. See a circular mark and period of Qianlong cinnabar lacquer box carved with a comparable design in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji. Qiqi, vol.8, Beijing, 1991, pl.168; another in the Chateau de Fontainebleau, is illustrated in Colombe Samoyault-Verlet, Le Musée Chinois de l'Impératrice Eugénie, Paris, 1994 p. 49, fig. 36. Compare also the 'Hundred Boys' design found on a Qianlong circular lacquer box sold in our London rooms, 13th July 2005, lot 117.