Rare Imperial gilt and yellow lacquer covered box, late 18th-19th century

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Covered box, Imperial gilt and yellow lacquer, late 18th-19th century

Rare Imperial gilt and yellow lacquer covered box, late 18th-19th century. Estimate $ 6,000-8,000. ©Garth’s Auctions, Inc. – Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Lotus form with hand painted overall designs in gilt, black, red, brown and green. The lid has a red finial and Buddhist patterns including four ruyi, flowers, bats and the character « Wan » on each corner. The base rim has lotus flowers, bats and ruyis surrounded by a key fret scroll and butterflies and flowers on the underside. Minor repair on the lid. 5.5″d.

From a private California Collector.

Garth’s Auctions, Inc. – Auctioneers & Appraisers. Asian, Continental & Decorative Arts  –  Jan 29 2015 10:00 AM

Lacquer Almsbowl, c. 1100, Song dynasty

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Almsbowl, c. 1100, Lacquer on wood core, Song dynasty

Almsbowl, c. 1100, Song dynasty. Lacquer on wood core. H.4 x Dia.8-3/16 in. Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2000.87.3. Minneapolis Institute of Arts © 2014 Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

The almsbowl was one of the few essential possessions of a Buddhist monk specified in the Vinaya, the sixth century BCE code of Buddhist monastic practice. Simple monochromatic vessels like this, based on clay Indian prototypes, symbolized the monks’ vow of poverty. Of perfectly rounded form, with sides rising from a round base and curving inward to a wide rimless mouth, this bowl is the epitomy of refined elegance and Song taste. The oldest surviving lacquered almsbowls are eighth century examples preserved in the Shosoin Repository in Nara, Japan. This extremely rare bowl appears to be the most refined in form and finish of all recorded examples and has been dated by carbon-14 analysis of its wooden core to about 1100 CE.

Black and red carved lacquer Hexagonal Box with Cover, late 14th-early 15th century, Ming dynasty

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Black and red carved lacquer, Hexagonal Box with Cover, late 14th-early 15th century, Ming Dynasty, tixi

Hexagonal Box with Cover, late 14th-early 15th century, Ming dynasty. Black and red carved lacquer (tixi), 3 3/4 x 7 x 7 in. (9.5 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2001.68.8a,b. Minneapolis Institute of Arts © 2014 Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

The shape and style of this elegant hexagonal box with its inverted corners dates it to the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century. Two layers of red are barely visible in the rich black lacquer. The style of carving is very close to standard Yuan dynasty tixi lacquer of the early fourteenth century, but instead of the v-shaped troughs of the earlier style, these pommel scrolls are more gently rounded and the troughs are u-shaped. Dishes and boxes with foliated shapes enjoyed great popularity during Yuan and early Ming. Probably based on the shape of the hollyhock flower, the cover is carved with a central hexafoil floret surrounded by concentric rows of six and twelve pommel scrolls, and the lobed sides are decorated with twelve further pommel scrolls completing a very attractive and unified design. Beautiful, light, and durable, these boxes held all manner of things and were also exchanged as fine gifts and treasured as fine heirlooms.

Tixi Lacquer Small Cup, 14th century

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14th Century, guri, small cup, tixi

Small Cup, 14th century. Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer (tixi) with gilt copper liner, 1 9/16 x 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (4 x 6.4 x 6.4 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2001.68.7 © 2014 Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Carved in the tixi (guri), or marbled technique, this petite cup exhibits five pommel scrolls (chian-huan) around its exterior. Built up in layers of two or more contrasting colors, ti-hsi lacquer, carved with pommel scrolls was developed by the Sung dynasty (thirteenth century) and this small vessel shows traits of dating near the beginning of this early category of carved lacquer. These rare, early pieces all have a top layer of lustrous, black lacquer, the alternating color layers include black, red, and yellow. The cutting is deep and at a sharp angle with v-shaped troughs. The area of the top surface left intact is small compared with the carved areas. Variations of this basic « marbled » technique, in combination with the pommel scroll motif may date from as early as the fifth century. The style remained popular well into the Ming period and was adopted by the Japanese where it is known as guri.

Brush Handle and Cover, late 15th-early 16th century

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Brush Handle and Cover, Carved red lacquer, late 15th-early 16th Century, Ming Dynasty

Brush Handle and Cover, late 15th-early 16th century. Carved red lacquer (t’i-hung), 8 7/16 x 5/8 x 5/8 in. (21.4 x 1.6 x 1.6 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2001.68.6 a,b ©2014 Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

During Ming and Qing, lacquer was used for a variety of scholar’s implements including brushes, dusters, ruyi scepters, seal paste boxes, and incense containers. In spite of the small size, this brush handle and cover are decorated with a remarkable number of carved motifs. The handle has three landscape scenes with scholarly figures among winding bridges, fantastic rocks, and terraced buildings. Trees include willow, pine, and banana and the sunken relief ground is of water diaper with star diaper between three reserves. The collar of the handle is carved with a row of lotus petal panels. The cover illustrates two scenes: one of a pagoda in a rocky landscape and the other, a figure standing with a fly whisk under a blossoming prunus outside a building. The ends of the handle and cover are each carved with a chrysanthemum flower. Brushes were very important possessions of the literati and were counted along with paper, ink, and inkstone among « the four treasures of the scholar’s study » (wen fang ssu-pao).

‘Tianqi’ lacquer Box and Cover, 17th century

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'Tianqi' lacquer, 17th Century, box and cover, Ming Dynasty

‘Tianqi’ lacquer Box and Cover, 17th century. Painted red lacquer with « filled-in » and engraved gold decoration (tianqi), 4 1/4 x 14 3/16 x 14 3/16 in. (10.8 x 36.0 x 36.0 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2001.68.12a,b ©2014 Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Shaped and decorated to resemble a drum, this large circular box and cover were created with the tianqi or « filled-in » technique. It has contrasting color fields of red, green, black, and reddish-brown lacquer. After the surface was polished, the outlines and details were engraved and gilded. The fine gold powder in the grooves was held in place with a clear lacquer adhesive.

On the cover is a gold five-clawed dragon shown full face amongst clouds above rocks and waves with a flaming pearl in the center. These imperial emblems exist against a muted brown swastika diaper ground. The sides of both box and cover are painted with roundels imitating the studs of a stretched leather drum head. The sides are decorated below and above with engraved and gilded continuous lotus scrolls. The tianqi technique was popular during Ming and early Qing for the decoration of fine lacquer furniture.

A rare cinnabar lacquer ‘dragon’ dish, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period

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'Dragon' dish, Cinnabar Lacquer, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period

A rare cinnabar lacquer ‘dragon’ dish, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period. Sold for HK$ 1,840,000 (€194,002). Photo: Bonhams.

The shallow dish skilfully carved on the centre with an elaborate large dragon, striding amidst flames and clouds above crashing waves and rockwork, grasping at two of the three small roundels above its head reading fu, shou, lu, within a band of four dragons divided by waves and rockwork, the exterior with leafy floral stems and various emblems, wood box and cover. 22.1cm (8 3/4in) diam. (3).

Notes: The present dish belongs to a group of Jiajing-marked lacquer wares with five-clawed dragons carved in a similar vigorous and lively style. The auspicious characters shou, fu and lu (longevity, good fortune and high salary) also appear in peach roundels on a Jiajing period lacquer dish, illustrated in Collections of the Palace Museum. Carved Lacquer ware, Beijing, 2008, Catalogue no.85. See also a bowl with a similar design, Jiajing mark and period, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, pl.88.

A related three-colour box and cover, Jiajing mark and period, was sold in our London rooms, 11 November 2010, lot 429.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 27 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

A rare and large tixi black lacquer dish, 16th century

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16th Century, black lacquer, tixi, tixi black lacquer dish

A rare and large tixi black lacquer dish, 16th century. Sold for HK$ 600,000 (€63,261). Photo: Bonhams.

The circular dish of shallow rounded sides, well carved in relief through layers of black and thinly layered cinnabar red lacquer with bands of ruyi-head scrolls issuing from the central flower head, the reverse further decorated with alternating ruyi-heads at the cavetto, Japanese cloth, wood box and cover. 47cm (18 1/2in) diam.

Provenance : According to labels on the box given by Osayo and devoted to Nichiren Daishonin, April 1821, with an earlier dedicatory inscription ‘Nissei’ (1600-1683)
Mr Kenzo Hasegawa (1886-1957), founder of the Kaisendo Museum, acquired circa 1950
Kaisendo Museum, Yamagata

The inscription on the label, cloth and Japanese wood box and cover literally translates as:
‘Chinese tray for wine-drinking vessel. A large round lacquer tray. Present owner, Kaisendo Museum, Kamiyama city, Yamagata prefecture. Given by Osayo and devoted to Nichiren Daishonin (medieval Japanese priest and Buddhist scholar), April 1821. Nissei (1600-1683, Japanese priest of the Edo period, probably a dedicatory inscription).’

llustrated: Hirokazu Arakawa, Choshitsu, Bijutsu Zenshu (Carved Lacquer), vol.8, Kyoto, 1974, pl.38.

Notes: The present lot is of a particularly imposing size and would have posed a challenge for the carver to produce. Lacquerware of such size is more typically seen on large boxes and furniture, but rarely is it demonstrated in dishes or trays, perhaps due to the increasing structural challenges, which therefore require a central brace against the back.

Large dishes were produced from the early Ming dynasty: see a large cinnabar lacquer barbed-rim dish, Yuan/Ming dynasty (46.5cm diam.), from the the Linden-Museum, Stuttgart, formerly in the collection of Fritz Low-Beer, illustrated inIm Zeichen Des Drachen, Munster and Stuttgart, 2007, pl.37; a larger cinnabar lacquer dish carved with floral sprays, Xuande mark and period, from the Ashmolean Museum, illustrated by C.Clunas and J.Harrison-Hall, eds., Ming: 50 Years That Changed China, London, 2014, p.100; and another large cinnabar lacquer dish carved with peacock, Yongle mark and period, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006, pl.17 (44.5cm diam.).

Compare a similar but larger black tixi lacquer dish, 16th century (with an inscription dated to 1507 or 1567), from the Lee Family Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong on 28 November 2012, lot 2094.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 27 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

Imperial cinnabar lacquer box tops Roseberys London Auction of Asian Arts

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18th century, Chinese cloisonne, octagonal hat box, quatrefoil box and cover, red cinnabar lacquer

A Rare and Impressive Chinese red cinnabar lacquer quatrefoil box and cover, 18th century. Provenance: Property of a Gentleman. Lot 1577, 10 December 2014. Sold for £30,600. Photo Roseberys London Auction.

LONDON.- Roseberys 10 December fine art auction saw an extremely rare and impressive 18th century cinnabar lacquer quatrefoil box and cover sell for an exceptional £30,600.

Roseberys Asian Art specialist Peter Greenway said: “We knew the quality of the materials and high level of craftsmanship used to create this stunning example would suggest that it was created for an Emperor, but the price achieved for this piece confirms it must have been made for the Imperial court. It is extremely rare to see a piece of cinnabar of this size and quality from the Qinglong period, and the realised price exceeded any other UK record that we are aware of.”

The highly decorative box measures 27.2cm diameter and is decorated on the lid with figures in a landscape, seated and on looking figures all enclosed within floral panels. The base panels are decorated with deer, herons and other auspicious animals, all enclosed within continuous geometric pattern. Inside the box a gold four character mark read “Precious Music Box” and on the base it had a six character Qianlong mark.

From a Dorset manor house the box had been unseen since the 1920s and had remained the property of a family with strong diplomatic connections. Four telephone lines and strong absentee bidding saw the box ultimately sell on the telephone to an oversees buyer. [Lot 1577]

A Large and Impressive Chinese octagonal cloisonné hat box, hardwood cover and stand. Lot 1588, 10 December 2014. Sold for £20,400. Photo Roseberys London Auction.

From the same manor house an extremely rare cloisonné hat box with zitan hardwood stand and cover sold to a different international buyer for £20,400. A beautifully decorated and attractive example of some exceptional cloisonné work, the box is decorated with a central flower enclosed within bands of stylised scrolling foliage, bats and clouds. As with many other examples of Chinese artwork from the period bats are included to symbolise happiness, joy and good fortune, and the clouds are an auspicious symbol meaning longevity in good fortune.

A strong Asian Arts selection complemented by good results for both Works of Art and Fine Furniture where a pair of late 19th French Empire revival ormolu four light candelabra sold for £12,000 [lot 885] and a large and impressive French bronze model of Minerva driving a chariot by the sculptor Emmanuel Fremiet sold for £8,400. Fremiet is best known for his large-scale sculptures of animals, and was the leading sculptor of animals in his day. Many of his sculptures are displayed in public places France and include the first equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, erected in the Place des Pyramides, Paris in 1874, and “Jeune éléphant pris au piège” situated outside the Musée d’Orsay, also in Paris. [Lot 870]

A pair of large French Empire revival ormolu four light candelabra, 69.5cm high. Lot 885, 10 December 2014. Sold for £12,000. Photo Roseberys London Auction

Emmanuel Fremiet, French 1824-1910, A large and impressive French bronze model of Minerva driving a chariot. Lot 870, 10 December 2014. Sold for £8400. Photo Roseberys London Auction

A 1920s Steinway mahogany grand piano trumped the furniture section of the sale. Founded in 1853 in Manhattan, New York Steinway & Sons pianos are an iconic brand, known for making high quality musical instruments. Built in 1924 at the peak of Steinway’s production the piano sold for £6,720. [Lot 1170]

A large and impressive Queen Anne Japanned trunk was also a strong contender, selling for £4,800. English copies of Japanese furniture first became popular in the late 17th century to fuel demand for Oriental furniture. The Dutch India Company began importing furniture and other works of art from Asian during the first half of the 17th century. Through these works the Orient was imagined to be a place of peace, tranquillity and great beauty, and a growing fascination with art from the Far East fuelled Western material desires.

Most popular with European consumer were objects with a glossy red or black lacquer that had been decorated with gilded scenes of Oriental life. European craftsman didn’t have access to lacquers from the East so they made use of the resins and pigments available to them, and adapted Western techniques such as gesso to replicate the fine gilt decoration. The term ‘Japanned’ relates only to furniture made in Europe in the style of Japanese lacquer work, of which this trunk is a fine example. [Lot 1167]

The full results of the two-day auction can be found online at www.roseberys.co.uk and Roseberys will be holding their next Asian Art auction in May 2015.

A black tixi lacquer rectangular footed tray, 15th-16th century

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15th-16th century, black tixi lacquer, rectangular footed tray

A black tixi lacquer rectangular footed tray, 15th-16th century. Estimate US$ 15,000 – 25,000 (€12,000 – 20,000). Photo Bonhams.

Formed with indented corners to the shallow curving well, centered with a rosette formed by two consecutive rings of five ruyi lappets, then two consecutive rectangles each with sixteen lappets and subsidiary scrolls issuing from the lappets at the corners, the exterior walls each carved with four lappets above a tall foot surrounding the recessed base, the black lacquer layers interrupted by two layers of red lacquer and displaying long lines of craquelure on the underside. 9 1/4 x 9in (23.5 x 23cm)

Compare the four-sided tray with the black tixi lacquer eight lobed dish sold in Christie’s, Hong Kong sale 2711, 27 May 2009, lot 1897, as early Ming, 15th century (7 1/8in/18.2cm diameter). See also the carved tixi lacquer three-tiered box and cover sold in Bonham’s, Hong Kong sale 15717, 26 November 2007, lot 24, as 15th/16th century (7 7/8in/20cm high).

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE WORKS OF ART, 16 Dec 2014 10:00 PST – SAN FRANCISCO