Qianlong/Jiaqing|The upper register with three square glass doors, the middle register with two rectangular glass doors, and the lower register with two square glass doors flanking two rectangular drawers carved with archaistic geometric designs, the sides each with one panel carved with similar designs beneath the glass windows, all raised on four feet with shaped spandrels. 56.1cm (22 1/8in) high x 51.7cm (20 3/8in) wide x 17.2cm (6 3/4in) deep.|清乾隆/嘉慶 紫檀仿古夔紋博古格Provenance: a European private collection來源： 歐洲私人收藏The present lot would have been used to safekeep and display highly prized possesions, mirrored in the use of the precious zitan wood, the exceptional craftsmanship and Imperial design. Such cabinets were made in a variety of sizes and geometric arrangements of the compartments. For related examples from the Qing Court collection, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, vol.II, Hong Kong, 2002, pls.212, 216, 221 (glass cabinet decorated with bamboo strips), and 229.Compare also the decoration on a gauze in the Fuwang ge, 'Pavilion of Viewing Achievements', the Qianlong emperor's private retirement retreat within the Forbidden City, illustrated in N.Berliner, et al, The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City, Sale, Mass., 2010, p.208, fig.9, to the top panel of the display cabinet.The masterful skill of the craftsman is demonstrated in the exquisite details, from the perfectly balanced geometric design, to the precise and even execution of the relief carving, to the grooved lines both within the design and on the beading framing each compartment and along the framework, and the clever use of the bat-shaped handles to prevent the doors and drawers opening inadvertently.The principle relief carved decoration includes lotus scrolls and ruyi, which combined with the bat-shaped handles, represents the wish for long life, purity and the five auspicious wishes.See a related zitan embellished openwork display cabinet, Qianlong, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2010, lot 1925.