A RARE INLAID ZITAN SEAL BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD |

each face exquisitely inlaid with mother-of-pearl, lacquer and other hardstones to depict an ensemble of precious objects and scholarly accoutrements, including books, arrangement-filled vases, dragon plaques, a tripod incense burner and a qin, bordered by angular archaistic scrolls

A European private collection, acquired in Tianjin in the 1920s.

The seal box is in overall good condition, with expected crackles on the lacquered ground, as well as surface scratches. There are minor retouches to bruises and flakes. As visible in the catalogue photos, several areas of inlays, particularly of the branches in the archaic vases have been rubbed away, but there are still traces of cinnabar paint. There are also insignificant nicks/chips and cracks, few have been restored, to the 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."

Exquisitely inlaid with mother-of-pearl and lacquer depicting archaistic vessels and precious objects, an elaborate zitan seal box of this type is rare and would have enjoyed a place of prestige at the Imperial court or in a scholar’s studio. No other closely related seal box appears to be published, but other inlaid zitan boxes and brushpots of similar quality from the Qing court collection are preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing. See The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Shanghai, 2007, pl. 242, for an inlaid box and cover similar inlaid in mother-of-pearl, with a design of chilong confronting each other on either side of an auspicious shou character. The tradition of the craftsmanship here derives from the workshop of the Ming master carver Zhou Zhu, recorded in the writings of the Ming and Qing literati as having worked in Yangzhou in Jiangsu province during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. For inlaid zitan boxes by Zhou Zhu, see the examples sold in these rooms, 4th April 2012, lot 179, and 2nd June 2016, lot 88, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection. Compare also a Qianlong inlaid zitan box and cover sold in these rooms, 8th October 2014, lot 3806. The archaistic scrollwork on the borders of the box closely relates to that on the zitan box and cover, also from the Qianlong period, specially commissioned at the Palace Workshops for the rare Prajnaparamita sutra jade book, sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1332.