A wood 'dragon' box and cover


19th century The box carved to the cover with five confronted sinuous dragons surrounded by intricate wispy ruyi clouds, the cover with a European wax seal. 38.5cm x 27.5cm (15 x 10 7/8in). (2).
|十九世紀 木雕龍穿如意紋蓋盒Provenance: Robert Thom Esq. (d.1846)來源： Robert Thom先生（1846年薨）舊藏Robert Thom served as the British Consul at Ningpo until his death in 1846. He also served as translator to Captain Thomas Bourchier whilst en-route to Canton aboard the HMS Blonde. The ship anchored outside Namoy to deliver a letter from the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, who demanded the opening of China to foreign trade. Thom also published a Chinese version of Aesop's Fables in 1840. This lot includes several letters of correspondence to Robert Thom's brother, the Reverend Dr. David Thom of Liverpool, who is credited with having inherited the present box upon the death of the British Consul.