A SUPERB IMPERIAL YELLOW-GLAZED BISCUIT PORCELAIN SQUARE SEAL-PASTE BOX AND COVER
Daoguang mark and of the period
The square box with vertical sides and canted corners and glazed in an attractive lemon yellow glaze to the exterior, interior, and the base, the rim and foot edges left in the biscuit, the flat top brilliantly molded and finely carved with two five-clawed dragons contesting a flaming pearl amidst cloud and fire scrolls, their eyes picked out in black enamel, the sides of the box and cover with further cloud and fire scrolls above breaking waves in a manner reminiscent of Imperial robes.
3 1/4in (8.25cm) square width, 2 3/16in (5.5cm) high
Footnotes:
清道光 檸檬黃釉雙龍趕珠雕瓷方形印泥蓋盒
《大清道光年製》三行方框陽文篆書刻款

This exceedingly finely modelled seal-paste box and cover can be favorably compared with a large group of carved and molded biscuit vessels produced from about 1820 onwards, though few of these bear Daoguang marks. Most carry the signatures of three of the most well-known potters of the day, Chen Guozhi, Li Yucheng, and Wang Bingrong. Two other rare examples bearing the six-character Daoguang mark in seal script are published, see T. Miller and H Hui, Carved Porcelain from Jingdezhen of the 19th to early 20th century, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006, pp. 20-2. The first is a rectangular unglazed box carved with landscapes and figures in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum; the other is a brush pot covered in yellow glaze in the collection of the Art Museum at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

For an example of a carved 'five-clawed dragon' snuff bottle with a paler yellow glaze with a Wang Bingrong mark and also displaying eyes picked out in iron-black, see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Vol. 6, Part 3, Arts of the Fire, pp. 771-773, no. 1357, where the authors further discuss the group.

For an example of a dragon bottle by Li Yucheng under a white glaze with very similar treatment of the dragon decoration to that found on our seal-paste box and cover, see ibid., pp. 780-781, no. 1362.

PLEASE NOTE: This report describes, but may not be limited to, major condition issues for the lot.

The box and cover are both in good condition. Glaze color vibrant and evenly applied. The lemon-yellow tone is very close to the color shown on the website.

The interior of cover is glazed except for the bottom of rim. Minor glaze gaps to interior of cover, tiny pinholes to glaze, all original to the firing. One shallow chip to glaze on the interior wall of the cover, a loss to the end of one of the dragon's moustache tendrils and a tiny nick to the black enamel of one eye.

The interior of box is glazed except for the raised lip and the top of rim where the cover sits. Shallow nicks to the rim but cannot be seen when the box is closed. Tiny pinholes to glaze, original to the firing and typical of this type.

Traces of red seal-paste remain at the corners and sides inside the box. An excellent example worthy of recommendation.