清康熙 黑漆嵌螺鈿「竹林七賢」圖長方盤 《思永堂》款

of rectangular form with shallow everted sides, supported on four small corner feet, finely inlaid on the interior with slivers of mother-of-pearl and gold foils on a black-lacquer ground, depicting the 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' (Zhulin Qi Xian) dressed in flowing robes engaged in various pursuits on a rocky shore, one walking on a footbridge greeting two attendants carrying a basket and a wrapped qin, another standing holding a staff waiting for a servant carrying a box, while three seated above observe one writing a calligraphy, the last two in the upper left standing near bamboos, with misty mountains and a full moon in the distance, further framed by an entwined garland of florets and a variety of flowers scattered among six barbed panels on the interior walls, divided by diaper panels on the longer sides and lotus scrolls at each corner, the base inlaid with a three-character archaic seal mark reading Siyong Tang ('Hall of Eternal Contemplation') within a square

The tray is generally in quite good condition with expected age crackles and some losses of mother-of-pearl inlays, predominantly on some of the flower sprays around the interior walls, and some touch-up to black lacquer flakes on the interior, the largest approx 4 by 0.5 cm in one of the barbed panel below the camellia and osmanthus sprays. The mother of pearl inlays are accented by a strong colorful iridescence.
"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."