Lot 85

[PRIVATE SCOTTISH COLLECTION, PERTHSHIRE] CHINESE CANTON ENAMEL PLAQUES INSET ZITAN BOX AND COVER

QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

Asian Works of Art

Auction: 16 September 2026 from 10:00 BST

Estimate: £800 - £1,200

Description

清廣東銅胎畫琺瑯牌嵌紫檀委角長方蓋盒

the plaques of rectangular form with canted corners, one painted with a fisherman beneath a willow tree, the other with a pheasant perched on flowering magnolia tree, inset on the top of lid with beaded rims, the box and cover of rectangular form with canted corners

Dimensions

15.5cm wide

Provenance

Private Scottish collection, Perthshire

蘇格蘭私人收藏, 珀斯郡

Footnote

While most zitan boxes are constructed using thin joints and panels to carefully conserve the precious timber, this piece represents a rare technique: it was hollowed out entirely from a single block of wood. Carving a vessel and its integral feet from a solid block resulted in insignificant material waste, elevating this piece from a utilitarian object to an ostentatious display of wealth and high status.

The integration of Canton enamels further anchors this piece within the high-fashion aesthetics of the mid-to-late Qing dynasty, a period characterised by a fascination with combining precious natural materials with masterful, colourful craftsmanship.