A FAMILLE ROSE, IRON-RED AND GILT OCTAGONAL BOX AND DOMED COVER Qianlong-Jiaqing period, circa 1790-1810 Brightly decorated in 'rose' enamels with single flower sprigs and butterflies to a large octagonal, lightly domed panel on the cover exterior and centered by an iron-red and gilt roundel of two flying cranes, the panel surrounded by a band of gilt scrolling lotus or hibiscus above a thin band of diaper cell between molded gilt lines at the rim, the exterior of the box painted with eight composite floral groupings above a further diaper cell band at the stepped foot, the interiors of the box and cover similarly painted with loose flower sprigs and butterflies and the interior of the box and cover, flowers and butterflies. 10 1/4in (27.5cm) diam Footnotes: 乾嘉時期 約1790-1810年 粉彩礬紅描金花蝶紋八方蓋盒 Provenance: John Berwald, London Published: Cohen & Cohen, The Elephant in the Room, Antwerp, 2019, pp. 22-23, no. 9 (dated Yongzheng/Qianlong period) 來源： 倫敦John Berwald古董行 出版： 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《The Elephant in the Room》，安特衛普，2019年，頁22-23，圖版編號9（定爲雍正/乾隆時期） This rare box form may have been made for the Chinese market. The central roundel on the lid is of two facing cranes in flight, one carrying the sacred fungus, lingzhi, a pun for 'may the crane and the fungus extend your years.' The crane (he) is a symbol of immortality and high rank. The crane is also a pun for 'together.' Additional meanings are associated with cranes when seen with various flowers as depicted on this piece. (See Bartholomew, 2006, 5.6.1 and 7.13.2.) For an identically molded octagonal box and cover dated to the Yongzheng period (1723-35) and painted with grisaille panels on dense multi-colored cell grounds to the sides and the eight Daoist immortals to the cover centered by a yin-yang symbol, see Cohen & Cohen, Tiptoe Through the Tulipieres, Hong Kong, 2008, pp. 24-25, no. 17.