A CINNABAR LACQUER THREE-TIERED BOX AND COVER, LATE YUAN TO MID-MING DYNASTYChina, 14th-16th century. Of rounded square form, supported on a spreading foot with a shaped apron. The cover superbly carved with a scene of a scholar and his attendant standing on a path and looking toward another scholar in a pavilion, partly obscured by plantain leaves. A tree and craggy rockwork issuing neatly incised bamboo, below a wispy cloud and beside a gnarled tree, all against three notably different types of finely diapered grounds, a hallmark of excellence found only on the very best of Chinese lacquer wares. The sides carved with dense leafy sprays of peony and chrysanthemum. The interior and base lacquered black.Provenance: English trade, by repute previously in an ancient Japanese private collection.Condition: Very good condition with expected wear and small age cracks, few tiny nicks, occasional light scratches. By repute, the box was re-polished by a Japanese lacquer master in the mid-20th century.Weight: 682 gDimensions: Height 16.2 cm, Length 12 cmLiteratureparison:Compare a closely related cinnabar lacquer three-tiered box and cover, 13.6 cm high, 12 cm long, dated to the late Yuan to early Ming dynasty, 14th century, exhibited in the Shanghai Museum, In A Myriad of Forms: The Ancient Chinese Lacquers, 16 November 2018 to 24 February 2019, p. 110-111, cat. no. 66.pare a related cinnabar lacquer four-tiered box and cover, 14.3 cm high, dated to the mid-Ming dynasty, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Theplete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum (Yuan Ming Qiqi. Gugong Bowuyuan Cang Wenwu Zhenpin Quanji), vol. 45, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 112-113, no. 82.pare a closely related cinnabar lacquer three-tiered box and cover, dated to 1451-1500, in the British Museum, registration number 1974,0226.21, illustrated by Garner, Chinese Lacquer, London, 1979, p. 99, no. 41.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2008, lot 346Price: USD 55,000 or approx.EUR 71,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare four-tiered square lacquer box and cover, Ming dynasty, 16th centuryExpert remark:pare the closely related manner of carving with a similar scholarly scene to the cover and blossoming flowers to the sides. Note the similar size (17.8 cm) and that the box is four-tiered.元末至明代中期剔紅纏枝花卉三層方盒中國，十四至十六世紀。四方形盒，外髹紅漆，全器上下共三層，方足外撇。蓋面錦地雕携琴訪友圖，園中小道上文人訪友，身側小童抱著琴。一位文人從一側亭中探出，似在打招呼又似在告別。四周芭蕉園林。外壁纏枝富貴牡丹紋。盒内與底足内髹黑漆。