AN IMPERIAL SCROLL-SHAPED ZITAN BOX AND COVER, QIANLONG China, 1736-1795. Naturalistically carved as three stacked scrolls, the upper scroll with a neatly incised lozenge diaper pattern in deep relief, the lower two with similarly executed floral and wan-symbol patterns, respectively. Each of the three with a bone-inlaid plaque imitating a label, meticulously engraved with gilt inscriptions identifying the paintings once contained in the box, all framed by a remarkably fine silver-inlaid T-scroll border, and cleverly decorated with further inlays to imitate the clasps and scroll handles. The sides again meticulously carved and painted to imitate the scroll ends. The interiors delicately padded with lozenge-diapered Imperial yellow silk.

Inscriptions: The upper scroll box, 'Poetic Ideas from the Imperial Jiguang Temple, painted by Qian Weicheng, calligraphy by Liang Shizheng'. The lower left scroll, 'Poetic Ideas of the Imperial Jade Belt Bridge, painted by Xu Yang, calligraphy by Wang Yudun'. The lower right scroll, 'Poetic Ideas on the Boat Journey to Spring, painted by Dong Bangda, calligraphy by Liang Shizheng'.

Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Very good condition with some old wear and traces of usage, also to the interior, light surface scratches, minuscule age cracks, nicks and losses. The gilt to the incised inscriptions slightly worn off. The textiles to the inside slightly faded, with loose thread and minor creases.

Weight: 1,194 g
Dimensions: Length 27.8 cm

This exquisitely conceived box is remarkable for the combination of zitan wood, gilt bone inlays, and silk textiles which all have been carefully assembled resulting in a harmonious design overall. Skillfully modeled to simulate three scrolls, such elaborate curiosity pieces are rare and would have enjoyed a place of prestige in an elegant scholar's studio or even an Imperial palace.

The Qianlong Emperor's love of painting and calligraphy fueled the development of boxes for such treasured items. The characteristics of these containers included the use of choice materials, the preferences being zitan, carved lacquer, cloisonné, and bamboo, due to their durability and fine quality which would complement the painting and calligraphy. The shape and decoration of these containers were also carefully considered to reflect both their contents and the imperial authority. Scroll boxes in the form of either three or five stacked scrolls were made in a variety of materials and demonstrate the importance given to packaging during the Qianlong reign.

The paintings contained in such scroll boxes were usually made by well-known court painters and the boxes usually depict the title on the cover. The present box is decorated with three meticulously carved inlaid plaques imitating labels, each inscribed with the title of a famous painting, all three by court painters known to be active during the reign of Qianlong. One is a landscape depicting the Yudai bridge by Xu Yang, another a landscape painting of the Jiguang temple by Qian Weicheng, the last a painting of a boat by Dong Bangda.

Literature comparison:
Boxes made to imitate scrolls were popular in the Qianlong period and were made in various materials and designs. Compare the near-identical scroll-form box made of zitan and inlaid ivory, and the one in carved red lacquer, both in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and illustrated in The Sumptuous Art of Imperial Packaging, Macau, 2000, pp. 30-31, nos. 2 and 3.

Compare an imperial carved cinnabar lacquer scroll box and cover, dated to the Qianlong period (1736-1795), at Christie's New York, 19 March 2009, lot 589. Compare a gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel covered box, dated to the Qianlong period, at Sotheby's Paris, 16 June 2022, lot 141. Compare a hardwood scroll shaped box and cover, dated to the Qing dynasty, at Sotheby's London, 6 November 2013, lot 73.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 April 2018, lot 3413
Estimate: HKD 500,000 or approx. EUR 68,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pair of ivory-inlaid zitan scroll-shaped boxes and covers, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, inlays, and decorations. Note that this lot comprises two boxes.



乾隆御製紫檀卷軸蓋盒
中國，1736-1795年。紫檀卷軸刻雷紋、團花紋與萬字紋，嵌象牙，象牙上刻所裝書畫名稱等畫名。可開啓。此包裝的造型采用卷軸冊頁式，製作精美。盒内襯雷紋黃地絲綿。

款識：御制玉帶橋詩意，徐揚畫，汪由敦書；御制積廣詩意，錢維城畫，梁詩正書；御制舟行春興詩意，梁詩正書，董邦達畫。

來源：英國古玩交易。
品相：狀況極好，有一些磨損和使用痕跡，內部也有輕微的劃痕，微小的老化裂縫、刻痕和缺損。鎏金略有磨損，内襯略微褪色，線鬆散，有輕微摺痕。

重量：1,194 克
尺寸：長 27.8 厘米

紫檀木、鎏金象牙以及絲綢紡織品的組合使盒子顯得尤爲珍貴，整體設計和諧，深受文人雅士甚至皇宮之中所推崇。

乾隆皇帝對書畫的熱愛推動了此類盒子的發展。這些包裝用盒由三疊或五疊捲軸組成，使用精選材料，偏好紫檀、雕漆、景泰藍和竹子，因為它們經久耐用，質量上乘，與書畫相得益彰。這些包裝的形狀和裝飾也經過深思熟慮，以反映它們的內容和皇權。此類捲軸盒內的畫作，多為宮廷名家之作，畫盒上多刻畫題名。

文獻比較：
仿製卷軸的盒子在乾隆時期很流行，有各種材料和設計。比較幾乎相近的紫檀鑲嵌象牙卷軸冊頁組盒裝，其中一個施紅漆，收藏於北京故宮博物院，見《金相玉質：清代宮廷包裝藝術》，澳門，2000年，頁30-31，編號2和3。比較一件乾隆時期御製剔紅漆卷軸蓋盒，見紐約佳士得，2009年3月19日，lot 589。比較一件清乾隆掐絲琺瑯卷軸畫冊式蓋盒 ，見巴黎蘇富比，2022年6月16年，lot 141。比較一件清木雕「郎世寧列馬圖」手卷式蓋盒，見倫敦蘇富比，2013年11月6日，lot 73。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2 4月 2018年，lot 3413
估價：HKD 500,000（相當於今日EUR 68,500）
描述：清十八世紀一對紫檀嵌象牙卷軸式手卷盒
專家評論：比較非常相近的外型、鑲嵌和裝飾。請注意此卷盒為一對。