A well carved zitan and jade box, Qing dynasty, 18th century.
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Round with a recessed decoration in tortoise. The cover with a jade placque with a dragon amidst cloud formations. Diameter 12 cm.
Repair.
Provenance
From the Collection of Axel Lagrelius (1863-1944). Thence by descent within the family. Axel was a Swedish chemical engineer, business leader and art collector.
Lagrelius sponsored several scientific expeditions, such as Alfred Nathorst to Spitsbergen in 1898, Greenland 1899, and Otto Nordenskjold expedition to the South Pole 1902-1904, continuously Johan Gunnar Anderssons Expeditions in China from 1916, onwards. He held several honorary titles and was from 1907 In 1907 appointed superintendent of the court.
In 1926 he accompanied the crown prince of Sweden on his journey to China, where he got the honorary title of a mandarin of the court. He was one of the founding members of the China Committee and one of the investors in the Karlbeck syndicate that purchased Chinese Works of Art in China through Orvar Karlbeck 1928-1932.
Literature
The black and white image taken when Lagrelius visited China with the Crown Prince in 1926.
From the top left, no 1 O. Nordqvist, 2, 3, 4 Erik Nyström, 5, 6, 7.
From the lower left, no 3 Mr Everlöf, no 4. Crown Princess Louise Mountbatten, No 5. H.R.H. Crown Prins Gustav Adolf (later King Gustav VI Adolf), no 6 Mrs Rudebäck, no 7 Mr Rudebäck, no 8 Axel Lagrelius, 9 Johan Gunnar Andersson.
More information
Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.