明末 剔紅雲龍戲珠紋大蓋盒

of circular form supported on a wide foot, the flat cover superbly carved in relief with a five-clawed en face dragon encircling  a 'flaming pearl', its scaly body writhing amid clouds above turbulent rolling waves against a meticulously carved diaper ground, further encircled on the sides by a band of clouds in the form of ruyi and six lobed panels, each enclosing a ferocious dragon undulating in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', the box similarly decorated with six lobed panels enclosing dragons, the rim decorated with a key-fret border repeated at the foot, the recessed base incised with an apocryphal six-character mark of Xuande

藤井有鄰館收藏，京都

藤井善助，《有鄰大觀．玄》，京都，1942年

Ther are some restuck flakes, occasional and consolidated rebuilt chips to the box and cover. There are also some areas which have been retouched especially to conceal and stabilise some typical age cracks. The interior of both the box and cover has been re-laquered to cover the crackles. The perimeter of the base and the inner foot also has been re-laquered to stabilise the age cracks, but the centre of the base has been left untouched. The gilt decoration of the mark is well preserved.
"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."

本剔紅漆盒，有別於一般明朝漆器，造型碩大，雕飾精緻，當乃宮廷御用之器，展現明代匠人的精湛藝技，出類拔萃，應屬孤例。盒蓋飾正面五爪游龍，身披鱗甲。如此龍紋，鮮見於明朝漆盒。倫敦維多利亞與艾伯特博物館藏交椅，雕相類龍紋，可資比對，圖見於 Harry Garner 爵士，《Chinese Lacquer》，倫敦，1979年，圖版82，靠背雕飾相類龍紋，同書宣德六字仿款。Derek Clifford 在其著作中指，交椅飾正面游龍， 騰躍於江崖海水之閒，甚具嘉靖之風，參考《Chinese Carved Lacquer》，倫敦，1992年，頁98。該交椅或為本品紋樣之初稿藍本。

此龍紋樣飾，較多見於明初青花瓷器，如清宮舊藏黃地青花盤，盤心飾正面行龍穿纏枝蓮，口沿下書「大明嘉靖年製」款，仍貯北京故宮，圖見於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．青花釉裡紅（中）》，香港，2000 年，圖版234。

本品造形，應取材自十五世紀初器型較小之漆器，中央同飾穿蓮躍龍，例可見宣德黃地剔紅雕漆蓋盒，盒邊同飾穿蓮龍紋，售於倫敦蘇富比 1991年12月10日，編號63。也可對比相類剔彩龍紋蓋盒，尺寸較小，備紅、綠、黃三色，圖見於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．元明漆器》，香港，2006年，圖版135。另有一例，署嘉靖六字描金款，售於香港佳士得2002年10月28日，編號596。五爪龍紋，例可見一器形相若之剔彩蓋盒，上飾雙龍，紀年萬曆乙未（1595年），展於《中國漆藝二千年》，香港中文大學文物館，香港，1993年，編號68。另有兩例，分別為 Krolik 典藏萬曆署款盒，售於倫敦蘇富比1970年2月24日，編號79，以及 Fritz Low-Beer 藏器，圖見於其著作，〈Chinese Lacquer of the Ming Period〉，《8.M.F.E.A.》，斯德哥爾摩，第24期，1952年，圖版21，編號84。