A rare and large carved three-colour cinnabar lacquer 'nine dragon' box and cover Qianlong Exquisitely carved in various levels of relief with a five-clawed dragon to the top of the cover, pursuing a flaming pearl amongst swirling clouds, within a key-fret and lappet border, above a wide band of further dragons pursuing flaming pearls above a key-fret band, the box similarly carved with dragons above breaking waves, all on a yellow ground, the base and interior lacquered black. 28.5cm (11 1/4in) diam. (2). 注脚 清乾隆 剔彩九龍戲珠紋捧盒 Provenance: an English private collection; according to the owner, acquired circa 1920's, and thence by descent 來源： 英國私人收藏，據傳購自1920年代，並由後人保存迄今 Intricately carved with a complex design of nine dynamic dragons striding in pursuit of flaming pearls, the present piece reveals the opulent taste of the Qianlong emperor and the zenith of lacquer carving achieved during his reign. Rendered with ferocious expressions, gaping jaws that reveal sharp fangs, bulbous eyes and flaring nostrils, the muscular dragons thrash through the clouds to create a brilliant scene of intense strength and energy. Moreover the deep carving and use of three contrasting colours accentuates the sense of movement and three-dimensionality. Boxes of this quality and carved with this motif were produced at the Lacquer Workshops of the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshop), located in the Forbidden City. A smaller box of this type in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, is illustrated in East Asian Lacquer: The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection, New York, 1991, p.108, pl.108. Compare with a very similar three-colour 'nine dragon' cinnabar lacquer box and cover, Qianlong mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 8 November 2017, lot 49.