A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER ZHADOU AND COVER, MID-QING China, 18th century. The zhadou has a wide everted rim carved on top with lotus within a ruyi-head border and incised on the underside with leafy lotus sprays, above the slightly rounded sides carved with hexagonal floral diaper enclosed in shaped cartouches reserved on a lozenge diaper ground. The domed cover is carved en suite around a circle of petal lappets at the base of the bud-shaped fire-gilt bronze finial. The interior and base are entirely covered in black lacquer. Provenance: From a noted French private collection. Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear, few natural age cracks, the interior slightly warped, minimal losses to lacquer at the lower edge of the cover and interior of the zhadou, the finial slightly tilted. Weight: 208.6 g Dimensions: Height 8.2 cm, Width 15 cm Expert's note: The Sanxitang (Three Treasures Hall) was a private study of the Qianlong Emperor. It was so named because it was used to house his favorite three pieces of calligraphy, “Timely Clearing after Snowfall” by Wang Xizhi, “Mid-Autumn” by Wang Xianzhi, and “A Letter to Boyuan” by Wang Xun. The hall also houses a closely related zhadou along with a number of other important scholar's objects made during the period. Literature comparison: Lacquer zhadou with covers of this type appear to have been carved with various decorations, and have rims of various shapes. One carved with the sanduo and dated to the Qianlong period is illustrated by S. Kwan in Chinese Lacquer, Hong Kong, 2010, pp. 290-91, no. 103. Also illustrated, page 290, is a photograph from the Sanxitang in which a similar zhadou and cover are shown. Another related example carved with flower scroll, dated 18th century, in the Shenyang Palace Museum, is illustrated by R. L. Thorpe in Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China, Seattle, 1988, page 96, no. 28. Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related red lacquer zhadou and cover, also dated to the 18th century, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 22-23 March 2012, lot 1710, sold for USD 10,000. 清代中期剔紅如意纏枝蓮紋渣斗 中國，十八世紀。渣斗寬邊折沿如意紋，蓋上剔紅纏枝蓮紋，渣斗外壁錦地紋。蓋上鎏金鈕。渣斗內黑漆。 來源：法國知名私人收藏 品相：狀況極好，只有輕微磨損，少量自然老化裂紋，內部略有翹曲，蓋子下邊緣和渣斗內部的漆損失最小，頂部略微傾斜。 重量：208.6 克 尺寸：高 8.2 厘米, 寬15 厘米 專家注釋：在乾隆帝的三希堂裏曾存放了一件相似的渣斗和其他文房用品。 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近剔紅帶蓋渣斗，同樣為十八世紀，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2015年9月17-18日 lot 2096, 售價USD 10,000。