Lot 20. A very rare Imperial amber-inlaid gilt-bronze 'dragon and twelve chilong' box and cover, 18th century; 17.7cm (7in) wide (2). Estimate HK$ 1,500,000 - 2,000,000 (€ 160,000 - 220,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018
The cover exquisitely set with a large central hexagonal cushioned amber panel superbly carved in low relief with a front-facing five-clawed sinuous dragon amidst undulating cloud scrolls encircling a stylised shoucharacter, surrounded by six trapezoidal cushioned amber plaques each crisply carved with a stylised writhing chi dragon with its extremities carved in the form of lingzhi fungus, the box similarly inset on each side with similarly decorated amber panels, all framed by twist-rope gilt-bronze borders, the interior lined with yellow silk.
Note: This exceptionally rare box and cover is an outstanding example of boxes made in the Imperial Palace Workshop, the Zaobanchu, under the supervision of the Neiwufu Imperial Household Department, which was in charge of the management of provisions for the Court. The Zaobanchu was responsible for the making of items for the personal use of the emperor and his family, ensuring that the exacting Imperial standards and the Court taste for opulence will be met. The present box is a testament to the superb craftsmanship and technical perfection achieved during the 18th century.
The decorative motifs of the five-clawed full-facing dragon encircled by twelve chi dragons, all around the shou character, indicate that this box was most likely specially commissioned for an Imperial birthday; see a related coral on gold peach-shaped box and cover, 1790, commissioned by Court official for the Qianlong emperor for his eightieth birthday, from the Qing Court Collection, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, carved with writhing dragons encircling a shou character, illustrated by E.S.Rawski and J.Rawson, eds., China: The Three Emperors 1662-1722, London, 2005, p.374, no.294.
Amber was a highly revered material and would have required great skill and precision to successfully render the shape of the cushion as well as the finely detailed decorations of each dragon. Amber is also known as hu po, which can be translated as 'the tiger's soul'. As tiger is considered to be the king of beasts in China, amber is therefore associated with the strong qualities of the tiger including the ability to capture and chase away evil spirits. It also symbolises longevity as it is associated with the resin of the pine tree, as does the shou character, which is carved at the very heart of the design. The master craftsman chose to complement the natural golden honey-tone of the amber with the gilt-bronze borders, exemplifying Qing Imperial opulence.
Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 29 May 2018, 14:00 HKT, HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY