A RARE AND FINELY CARVED RED LACQUER DAOIST SCRIPTURE BOX AND COVER, CHINA, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

A RARE AND FINELY CARVED RED LACQUER DAOIST SCRIPTURE BOX AND COVER
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
The sliding cover finely carved through the red lacquer layers to the ochre ground with an intricate scene of an assembly of Daoist immortals, each narrow side carved with a five-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl amidst clouds above a rock formation emerging from crashing waves, the motif repeated on the back where the two dragons flank a central rectangular panel enclosing the partially effaced reign mark, which would have read Da Qing Qianlong nian jing zhi (made with reverence in the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing dynasty) executed in raised characters, all above a waisted rectangular base carved with lotus petals
13 ½ in. (33.9 cm.) high

Pre-Lot Text
THE FLORENCE AND HERBERT IRVING COLLECTION