清雍正 / 乾隆 金胎纍絲嵌珊瑚珍珠「冰梅祝壽」圖棱口蓋盒

the small square box with contoured sides gently curving to indented canted corners, all resting on four short feet, the thickly hammered gold body superbly and intricately set in the cloisonné technique with thick sheets of gold incised on top to resemble twisted wire and inlaid with small sections of coral, ornately adorned with freshwater seed pearls forming five-petalled blossoms and singular gems creating the 'cracked ice and prunus' pattern, the flattened cover similarly decorated with pearls to the centre depicting the character shou within a border of twisted gold wire, surrounded by further pearl florets

Please note that the gold is 18K. The overall condition of the box and cover is very good. One of the pearls in the centre of one floret is missing on one corner. A few of the coral pieces and the pearls are likely to have fallen out amd been remounted. The pieces were originally held in place with glue or wax, with traces of the old wax still visible around the pearls. The colour is a more attractive warm orange coral colour than displayed in the catalogue illustration.
"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."

這件精美的金胎纍絲嵌珊瑚珍珠「冰梅祝壽」圖蓋盒是皇家專用純金器之典範。造型小巧雅緻，裝飾繁複華麗，應屬宮中后妃的珍玩飾盒。盒身造工精緻，金片上鑲嵌珊瑚，同時以掐絲工藝將金片露出部分處理成纏繞的金絲。金片被精心鏨打成小槽，令珊瑚能恰到好處地鑲嵌於其中。而珍珠排列成五瓣梅花狀，在珊瑚金絲的「冰片」上構成「冰梅圖」。另有珍珠於盒蓋中心以珍珠嵌成「壽」字。珊瑚的鑲嵌營造成表面層次，使珍珠的點綴顯得錯落有致。

這蓋盒是出自專門為皇室人員製作各式生活和賞用器物的內務府造辦處，工藝水平之高超，不容置疑。與此盒成對之另一例，乃 Carl Kempe 舊藏，售於香港蘇富比2008年4月11日，編號2310。

打造此盒所用材料，為滿族及漢族文化中的一時之選，意義非凡。盒上使用的淡水珍珠，又名「東珠」，多採自東北三省的松花江、鴨綠江、黑龍江一帶。由於來自滿族人的祖地，清宮尤其鍾愛，並喜在御製衣裝及首飾等大量使用。就如香港蘇富比2006年4月10日的拍賣上，曾賣出一件鑲有過千顆淡水珍珠的乾隆朝服，編號1540。珊瑚一直以無瑕豐潤的色澤，和堅硬緻密的質感被視為珍寶，並被廣泛地嵌飾於各式飾品和用器。它往往和珍珠相比擬，甚至被視為一種類的珍珠，所以它們經常雙雙出現在多類裝飾上。

有關乾隆時期金器的著錄，可見台北國立故宮博物院的《故宮珍玩選萃》，台北，1971年。書中收錄三件嵌有珍貴寶石的金帶纍絲蓋盒，同上註，圖版41。另有兩件先後屬英國瑪麗皇后和 H.M. Knight 的蓋盒，分別曾在東方陶瓷學會於倫敦（編號355）和阿什莫林博物館舉行的《Arts of the Ch'ing Dynasty》上展覽（編號356）。二者後售於倫敦蘇富比1983年6月21日，編號15。