A THREE-COLOR LACQUER ‘CHUN’ SPRING BOX AND COVER, QIANLONG PERIODChina, 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 ‘’, and an old label, ‘Antique cinnabar cared [sic] lacquer treasure box. 18th 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 gDimensions: Diameter 25.5 cmThe 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.bined with the overlaying roundel of Shoulao, the God of Longevity, the box would have represented wishes for eternal youth.Literatureparison: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, Theplete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 8, 1999, pl. 172.pare 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 resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s London, 10 November 2015, lot 175Price: GBP 68,500 or approx.EUR 99,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A carved polychrome lacquer ‘spring’ circular box and cover, Qianlong periodExpert remark:pare the closely related form, motif, and three-color lacquer decoration. Note the slightly