A GILT AND PAINTED LACQUER TRAY WANLI MARK AND PERIOD, DATED 1615

of rectangular form, the interior painted against a rich red ground with an equestrian figure journeying towards two officials seated by a table surrounded by attendants, the curved sides gilt-decorated on a dark brown ground with shaped floral cartouches reserved on a floral scroll ground, the exterior decorated with a weave pattern between a gilt foliate scroll and trellis band, the dark brown base gilt with a reign mark and dated yimao year (corresponding to 1615), followed by an inscription reading Xu Jingxuan zeng (Gifted by Xu Jingxuan)

M.D. Flacks Ltd., London.

The tray is in good condition with the exception of some loss and rubbing to the painted and gilt decoration on the top surface (in particular the group of figures playing 'go' to the top right, minor nibbles and loss of gilding to the rims, crazing and flaking to the black lacquer on the base and a slight warp to the whole tray.
"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."

This piece belongs to a group of painted lacquer trays that were produced in the yimao year (corresponding to 1615) of the Wanli Emperor’s reign; another tray from this group, decorated with a scene of a dignitary presenting wine to an arriving scholar, was offered in our Hong Kong rooms, 30^th October 1991, lot 343.

 

A lacquer-and-basketry tray of this type, but lacking a dated inscription, is illustrated in Shen Zhiyu, The Shanghai Museum of Art, New York, 1981, pl. 204; and a slightly later tray, from the collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, inscribed with a date corresponding to 1624, is illustrated in Soame Jenyns and William Watson, Chinese Art. The Minor Arts, London, 1963, pl. 140.

 

The basketry on the reverse of this tray is particularly fine. This technique was utilised from the Southern Song dynasty in Fujian province, which continued to be one of the major centres for bamboo basketry with lacquer decoration throughout the Ming dynasty. A reference from the Southern Song period to such baskets is made in Tian Rucheng (fl. ca. 1540),  Xihu youlan zhiyu (More Travel Notes on the West Lake), in the section on anecdotes regarding tea from Fujian, which was placed in lacquer and bamboo boxes.