A PAIR OF HEAVY CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER PEACH-FORM BOXES AND COVERS DEPICTING IMMORTALS, QIANLONG PERIOD
China. 1736-1795. Each finely carved in the form of a peach, the cover with a central panel enclosed by interlocking bats, surrounded by hexagonal floral diaper. One box depicts Li Tieguai riding a gigantic double gourd while holding his iron crutch, the other with Lu Dongbin standing on a giant leaf and holding his fly-whisk, his sword with ruyi pommel sheathed to his back, each against a neatly incised ground of turbulent waves. Each box and cover with a heavy metal core, the interior and base lacquered black. (2)


Provenance:
London trade.

Condition:
Very good condition with minor old wear, expected natural age cracks, small losses to the rim, and minor chips to edges.

Weight: 641.1 g and 584.9 g
Dimensions: Width 11.8 cm and 11.7 cm


Literature comparison:

Compare a pair of related peach-shaped boxes and covers depicting Daoist immortals, with Qianlong marks and of the period, presented by the Qianlong Emperor following Lord Macartney’s Embassy of 1792-1794, illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen, Vol. 3, 2016, pp. 865, pls. 1988-1989. Compare a related peach-shaped box and cover depicting Li Tieguai, 15 cm wide, dated to the Qianlong period, illustrated ibid., pp. 866, pl. 1990.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 18 May 2018, lot 458
Price: GBP 11,875 or approx.
EUR 19,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved cinnabar lacquer peach-form box and cover, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related peach form, Daoist immortal subject, and manner of carving with similar hexagonal diaper and central panel, albeit enclosed by a slightly different band of stylized clouds. Note the size (14.5 cm).




乾隆時期一對剔犀桃形仙人紋蓋盒

中國，1736-1795年。蓋盒精雕細刻，呈桃子形，蓋子中央蝙蝠串紋開光，分別可見海上手持鐵拐的李鐵拐駕著大葫蘆與手持拂塵與劍的呂洞賓站在巨葉上過海情景，波濤洶湧。每個盒子和蓋子都有金屬芯。蓋内和底座髹黑漆。 (2)


來源：
倫敦古玩交易。

品相：
狀況極好，有輕微磨損、自然老化裂紋和邊緣的小缺口。

重量：分別為641.1克與 584.9克
尺寸：分別寬 11.8 厘米與11.7 厘米


文獻比較:

比較一對乾隆款及年代犀桃形仙人紋蓋盒，見《Qianlong Emperor following Lord Macartney’s Embassy of 1792-1794》，又見 John Ayers，《Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen》，卷3，2016年，頁865，圖1988-1989。比較一件相近的乾隆款及年代犀桃形李鐵拐蓋盒，寬15 厘米，見上書，頁866，圖1990。


拍賣比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2018年5月18日，lot 458
價格：GBP 11,875（相當今日
EUR 19,000
）
描述：清十八世紀剔紅福壽雙全紋桃式蓋盒
專家註釋：比較非常相近的桃形，道教先人主題，以及雕刻風格，具有相似的六邊形和中央圖文，儘管略有不同。請注意尺寸 (14.5 厘米)。