China, 1736-1795. The top of the cover with a circular panel that is deeply carved through several layers of cinnabar, orange and black lacquer on the diapered ground with a bowl of precious objects radiating rays illuminating the large character Chun (Spring) centered with a roundel enclosing Shoulao flanked by two boy attendants, all enclosed by a key-fret border. The rounded sides of the box and cover are carved with further key-fret designs as well as large floral blossoms alternating with shaped panels enclosing flowers and rockwork, the foot with a key-fret band. The interior and base are lacquered black.

Provenance: From the collection of a gentleman in London, United Kingdom, who has been collecting Asian works of art for the last 50 years. The base with an old Christie’s label, ‘2554’, a lacquered inventory number ‘214.14.QT’, and an old label, ‘Antique cinnabar cared [sic] lacquer treasure box. 18^th century. Qing dynasty’.
Condition: Good condition with expected old wear from centuries of handling, natural age cracks, small nicks and light scratches, few losses, minor soiling.

Weight: 1,372 g
Dimensions: Diameter 25.5 cm

The form and design of the chun-character lacquer boxes follows a Jiajing period prototype. Boxes from this group were so admired by the Qianlong Emperor that he ordered a number of copies during his reign, and they were frequently used to hold food presented as a ceremonial gift at the lunar new year or for birthdays.

The motifs decorating this box and others like it are all very auspicious. The character Chun (Spring) on the cover is also a metaphor for youth. Combined with the overlaying roundel of Shoulao, the God of Longevity, the box would have represented wishes for eternal youth.

Literature comparison:
Qianlong period examples, such as the present lot, are extant in the Imperial collections in Beijing and Taipei: see the example now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, image number K1H000047N000000000PAF, illustrated in Special Exhibition of Palace Lacquer Objects, Taipei, 1981, catalogue no. 67, and in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Lacquer, The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 8, 1999, pl. 172. Compare another Qianlong period example, 52.7 cm diameter, from the Avery Brundage Collection, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B60M317.a-.b, illustrated by Sir Harry Garner in Chinese Lacquer, London, 1979, pl. 90.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 10 November 2015, lot 175
Price: GBP 68,500 or approx. EUR 99,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved polychrome lacquer ‘spring’ circular box and cover, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, motif, and three-color lacquer decoration. Note the slightly larger size (30.8 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 8 November 2012, lot 27
Price: GBP 97,250 or approx. EUR 148,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An imperial carved three-color lacquer ‘chun’ box and cover, Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, motif, and three-color lacquer decoration. Note the slightly larger size (31.1 cm).



乾隆時期剔彩春壽蓋盒
中國，1736-1795年。寶盒呈圓形，子母口，矮壁淺圈足，底部及盒內髹黑漆。外壁通體剔彩髹朱、黃、黑三色漆，以黃、黑漆作錦地，朱漆“春”為主題紋飾。蓋面圓形開光，開光內雕聚寶盆，盆內滿盛珍寶，映射出萬道霞光。上托“春”字，春字中心圓形開光，居中壽星端坐於青松下。 “春”字兩側各雕蕉葉紋，四周襯托彩雲。盒壁上下各有四組開光，內雕纏枝花卉、蝙蝠與壽字，有“福壽”之意。開光外纏枝蓮紋。

來源：英國倫敦紳士收藏，收藏亞洲藝術至少五十年，保存至今。底座有佳士得拍賣標籤上，注明 ‘2554’，一個收藏編號 ‘214.14.QT’，一個老標籤 ‘Antique cinnabar cared [sic] lacquer treasure box. 18th century. Qing dynasty’。
品相：品相良好，使用痕跡，自然老化裂紋、小刻痕、淺劃痕和輕微缺損、輕微污漬。

重量：1,372 克
尺寸：直徑 25.5 厘米

本蓋盒造型、紋飾均仿明嘉靖始創之春壽寶盒原型而作。乾隆朝將之命名 “春壽寶盒”，經常被用來盛放食物作為禮儀禮物。因“春”字具有一年復始、萬物更新之意，故可像徵長壽和新生，明清時期經典裝飾，百年不衰。

文獻比較：
乾隆時期的例子，可以見清廷收藏於臺北故宮博物院，編號K1H000047N000000000PAF，見《Special Exhibition of Palace Lacquer Objects》，臺北，1981年，圖錄編號67；收藏於北京故宮博物院，見《Lacquer，The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum》，卷8，1999，圖172。比較另一件乾隆時期例子，52.7 厘米直徑，來自Avery Brundage Collection，收藏於舊金山藝術博物館，館藏編號B60M317.a-.b，見Sir Harry Garner，《Chinese Lacquer》，倫敦，1979年，圖90。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2015年11月10日，lot 175
價格：GBP 68,500（相當於今日EUR 99,500）
描述：乾隆時期剔彩春蓋盒
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形、主題和三色漆裝飾。請注意尺寸稍大(30.8 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2012年11月8日，lot 27
價格：GBP 97,250（相當於今日EUR 148,000）
描述：清乾隆剔彩壽春圖圓盒
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形、主題和三色漆裝飾。請注意尺寸稍大(31.1 厘米)。

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