Ming Dynasty, with later Japanese inkstone and waterpot The rectangular slightly-bevelled cover finely inlaid with iridescent mother-of-pearl depicting seven scholars engaged in various leisurely pursuits, playing guqin, weiqi and in conversation, all within a bamboo grove beside a thatched retreat, accompanied by three attendants, the box decorated on the exterior on each side with a quatrelobed cartouche enclosing sages and attendants, reserved on a basket-weave diaper ground, all edges with rope-twist silver-wire inlay, the underside of the cover inlaid in mother-of-pearl with a twenty-eight-character poem, the base containing two loose rectangular lacquer trays divided by a later Japanese rectangular inkstone and bronze waterpot. 25cm (9 7/8in) x 24cm (9 1/4in). (6).