QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

The inclusion of the eight figures of foreigners seen to the sides of the cover on the current box is particularly rare, with no other known published examples. Compare the current lot to a pair of imperial multi-colour lacquer boxes and covers decorated with three 'sea beasts' and incised to the base with Qianlong reign marks inscribed hai shou bao he, which were presented to King George III by the Qianlong emperor, illustrated by John Ayers, in Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, Volume III, p857. A rectangular cinnabar lacquer box and cover with comparable 'three Buddhist lions' decoration is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Masterpieces of Chinese Carved Lacquer Ware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1971, no. 34. A pair of three-tired cinnabar lacquer boxes, also with carved with three Buddhist Lions was exhibited by Roger Keverne, London in Summer 2002, no. 131.