A CINNABAR LACQUER QIN-SHAPED WRITING BOX MING DYNASTY, 15TH CENTURY

of oblong form resembling a qin, the cover deftly carved and incised through the layers of red lacquer to the ochre ground with two long-tailed birds flying among peony blossoms wreathed by a profuse foliage and attendant buds, the birds plumage finely incised with striations, the sides carved with foliate ruyi, the box similarly carved with ruyi scrolls, enclosing an inkstone in the form of a qin, a 'dragon' inkcake inscribed with an imperial poem and two thin brushes in bamboo cases, the interior and base lacquered in black

A private Japanese collection.

The lacquer has been secured in areas with some relacquering and retouching along the edges, some minor crackles to the black lacquer on the interior and under the base, but overall the box is in quite good condition. The brushes and accessories are later added.
"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."

Compare a similar box in the Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya, illustrated in Selection from the Tokugawa Art Museum, vol. 2, Karamono, Imported Lacquerwork- Chinese, Korean and Ryukuan (Okinawa), Nagoya, 1997, no. 26. Red lacquer boxes of this unusual zither form were also produced during the Qing dynasty. See an 18th century example from the Qing court collection preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pl. 51.