RARE MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER ‘PAVILION OF PRINCE TENG’ SCREEN MING DYNASTY, 16TH-17TH CENTURY the screen of square form, one side intricately worked with finely carved mother-of-pearl set against a black lacquer ground to depict a scene of scholars’ gathering held at a palatial residence, with the name ‘Teng Wang Ge’ inscribed on a plaque hanging on the top floor, all surrounded by ten rectangular panels within raised borders, each decorated with a scholar and his attendant in a landscape setting, further enclosed by fourteen rectangular panels with birds perching on blossoming branches within raised borders, the reverse side similarly arranged with the central panel painted in red and green with a large pavilion against a golden paint background (Dimensions: 93cm x 95.5cm) (Qty: 1) (93cm x 95.5cm) Qty: (1) Footnote: Provenance: William Brown Dunlop (? - 1946), Seton Castle, East Lothian, Scotland He published two articles in Asiatic Quarterly review “March of the Mongol” January 1889 and “The Key of Western China” April 1889, during his extensive travels and work in China. Being a graduate from Oxford with an MA. He would probably have been exposed to the better examples of art whilst in China and this may have led him to buy the screen. By direct family descent. Note: The Pavilion of the Prince of Teng, facing the Gan River, is located on the city wall of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. It was first built in 653 AD, by Li Yuanying, the younger brother of Emperor Taizong of Tang and uncle of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. The most famous gathering there was held in 675, which the poet Wang Bo (ca. 650-ca. 676) attended. On this occasion he wrote a preface to the collection of poems composed by the guests.