Fine Chinese Qianlong Period Lacquer Tray With Antique Wrist Rest

Item Details

An exceptional Chinese Qianlong period (1735-1796) antique rectangular lacquer tray. Also included is a Chinese antique wrist rest. The finely crafted tray features a charming vignette of two ribbon-tailed birds (綬帶鳥 shoudainiao) perched among blooming camellias (茶花 chahua), a visual metaphor meaning ‘May you enjoy eternal youth and longevity’ (春光長壽 chunguang changshou). Camellias are associated with spring and youthfulness while ‘ribbon-tailed birds’ (長綬 changshou) is a homonym for ‘longevity’ (長壽 changshou). The rim is further decorated with cartouches filled with camellias in full blossom and the underside of the rim features a foliate border. The underside has two affixed paper labels, but is otherwise unmarked. Also included is a wrist rest featuring a leiwen meander border and a mountainous landscape. Unmarked.

1938.0176, 1938.0181

Provenance
Collected in the late 19th and early 20th century and donated to a Private Midwestern Institution in 1938
Sold to enhance and preserve the Institution’s mission-relevant Collections

Condition

- cracking to joins of the tray, crack present on the underside of the tray; minor markings and chipping to lacquer throughout.

Dimensions

Item #

17COL077-337