Carved in various levels of relief with a five-clawed dragon to the top of the cover, pursuing a flaming pearl amongst swirling clouds, further dragons pursuing flaming pearls, the base and interior lacquered black. Height 21 cm. Diameter 28,5 cm.
Small fritts, wear to rim. Cracks due to dryness of the material.
From the Collection of of Greve Niels Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs (1910-1959), Halsted Kloster, Danmark. Purchased in 1932 in Shanghai. Thence by descent.
Compare: A smaller box of this type in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, is illustrated in East Asian Lacquer: The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection, New York, 1991, p.108, pl.108.