Late Qing Red Hardwood Box Inlaid With Boxwood Deep Relief Carved Flower Bird & Chi Dragon Hexagonal Cover Box,19th Century Qing Dynasty

拍品描述

Measurements:Diagonal width 32 cm / 12.60 inches, weight 2450 grams, 19th Century Qing Dynasty, Category: Oriental Woodwork Curios, Primary trading market: New YorkCondition & Provenance:The whole box is built with red hardwood base, fully inlaid with boxwood carved panels. The main body and matching lid form an original complete set without missing pieces or massive splits. All corner protective boxwood brackets and round raised stud rivets around the edges are fully intact and retained. The top surface of the lid features high-relief carving of peonies, wintersweet, magnolia, golden pheasant and songbirds. Floral branches and leaves present profound multi-layer carving with sharp three-dimensional details, only faint natural tiny aged hairline cracks with no artificial repair fills added afterward. All six vertical sides of the box are fully hollowed deep carved with paired chi dragons chasing pearl amid rolling clouds. The twisting dragon and cloud patterns remain fluid and dimensional, hollow openwork unblocked with no broken branches or missing carved details. The plain inner cavity is smooth and clean, free of wood borers or rot. The bottom is a single solid red hardwood plank with clear natural grain, no chips or damage along the base rim. Both red hardwood and boxwood carry naturally aged layered patina built over a century of handling, no modern re-sanding, re-varnish or chemical cleaning treatments. All six corner boxwood guards stay tightly attached with no loose or fallen rivets. This antique box was originally sold at 2012 New York Asian Art Auction Session, then transferred in 2015 to a long-established private collector specializing in antique Chinese wood furniture based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It has been preserved long-term inside constant temperature moisture-proof storage, only cleaned with dry soft cloth regularly, never repaired, re-finished or filled, fully retaining original Qing dynasty carving texture and untouched antique patina.Object Description:This hexagonal storage lidded box is a heavy late Qing scholar’s display and storage piece crafted from red hardwood inlaid with elaborate boxwood relief carvings, one of the most sought-after antique Chinese wood curio categories among North American collectors. The box body is hollowed from thick solid red hardwood lumber with regular symmetrical six-sided geometry and crisp angular edges. All six vertical walls are inset with hollow carved boxwood panels, while the full top surface is covered by one large solid boxwood high-relief slab. The matching two-tone hardwood craft represents premium woodworking craftsmanship popular in late Qing elite households. The lid’s full surface presents a continuous deep relief scene of four-season flowers and birds: lush blooming peonies symbolizing wealth and nobility interspersed with wintersweet and magnolia blossoms, a golden pheasant perched on branches and small songbirds hidden within foliage. Deep layered carving creates striking foreground and background depth, carrying auspicious meanings of eternal prosperity, peace all year round and promising bright future. The six outer walls are uniformly decorated with paired chi dragons surrounding a flaming pearl amid swirling cloud scrolls. Slender winding dragon bodies paired with soft rolling cloud openwork deliver unobstructed hollow carving, dragon motifs stand for fortune, protection and blessing. The spacious smooth inner cavity is ideal to store jade snuff bottles, imperial seals, small scholar curios, jewelry and precious trinkets, balancing elegant viewing value and practical daily function. This piece combines multiple advanced carving techniques including deep relief, openwork and three-dimensional sculpting. The antique craftsman’s blade work is bold and precise, every vein of flower leaves, dragon scales and cloud swirls are rendered with meticulous fine detail. The dark rich brown tone of red hardwood creates striking contrast against warm pale yellow boxwood carvings, forming an elegant timeless antique aesthetic. Complete large hexagonal storage boxes with double-sided fully covered carvings, intact matching boxwood inlay and original rivets are extremely scarce surviving Qing antiques. This well-preserved specimen delivers triple value as display decor, study storage and collectible investment, ranking as a highly desirable premium wood curio for American collectors of Chinese antique furniture.

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