Description
A Chinese black and gold lacquer scroll tray rendered in the “miao jin” technique. This method uses a brush and semi clear lacquer to paint a design directly on to the polished black lacquer surface of the object. In semi-dried state (but before fully dried), gold power or gold foil is then applied over top, thus bringing the final design to light. This tray is clearly recognizable as having been made for the domestic market, as Chinese export lacquer can be identified by its lower quality version of same technique.
The story depicted on the main surface of the tray is of The Eight Envoys (八使), a group of Han dynasty scholar officials known for their high moral stature. This tray would likely have been destined for holding scholarly objects such as scrolls, however it appears it was never used and has been perfectly preserved. It is in impeccable, almost new condition.
Japanese wooden box (note box is significantly darker in color than depicted in photos)
Size 43 x 24 x 5
Box size: 47 x 27 x 9