CHINA, Qianlong period, 18th century - Lot 22

CHINA, Qianlong period, 18th century Rare imperial nanmu chest Quadrangular in shape, the panels feature rich, delicate relief carvings of dragons with long, sinuous bodies and clawed paws, depicted chasing the sacred pearl through swarming clouds, the latter in the shape of "lingzhi" mushrooms of immortality. The dragons are depicted in pairs on the front and back panels, and alone on the sides, two dragons surrounding a larger one depicted from the front on the lid. Each panel is bordered by a Greek frieze. The chest is flanked on each side by gilded brass handles in the shape of ruyi heads terminating in phoenix heads, adorned with chased Greek frieze decoration and a medallion swastika in the central part, all held to the chest by three circular medallions with wave decoration. The clasp consists of two gilded brass plates decorated with stylized foliage, acanthus leaves and bats, the hook taking the form of a ruyi adorned with a bat holding a hulu gourd in its mouth among the foliage. The quadrangular rear hinges are decorated with lotus flowers and bats. The chest was later reassembled to open at the top and front, revealing two sliding drawers and a modern base. Height: 57.5 cm, with base 69 cm Width: 90 cm Depth: 64 cm Restoration to the claws and some of the corners with resin, age cracks in the wood panels, claws removed, clasp bar missing. 中国 十八世纪 乾隆 紫檀雕雲龍紋衣箱 Provenance: Former collection of John Bolliet (1835-1888) and Anna Teu (1844-?) John Bolliet, born in Switzerland in 1835, moved to Vietnam in the 1850s to work in commerce. He married Anna Teu, from a Cochin-Chinese family, maternally related to the Nguyen Huu Hào, family of the Empress of Vietnam, Her Majesty Nam Phuong. Passed on to their son William Bolliet (1864-1929), principal conductor of public works in Indochina, and his wife Alice Huynh dite Vinay, who passed on by descent to Henri Lefebvre, public works engineer in Saigon, and Germaine Lefebvre. Passed down and kept in the family ever since. Our present chest bears witness to the technical virtuosity of the carpenters (muzuo) of the imperial workshops (Zaobanchu) during the Qing dynasty, and attests to the high sophistication of imperial furniture. Although frequently made from precious hardwoods such as huanghuali or zitan, some models were also crafted from more common woods such as hongmu or nanmu. Chests of this type, known as "yixiang", were used for storing and transporting valuables, clothing and documents. The intricate decoration and deep, detailed carving of our present object are in a style characteristic of the Qianlong reign, using an artistic vocabulary intended exclusively for court use. Numerous auspicious emblems are represented, such as the bat, the ruyi, the lingzhi and the double-gourd, all symbols destined to bring fame and fortune to the owner. Catalog modification: Although of exceptional quality, this chest is not made of zitan wood as previously described, but rather of Nanmu hardwood. The estimate has been adjusted accordingly.