Expert’s note: The usage of jades as inlays for the present vessel clearly confirms the Imperial provenance, see the literature comparison below for further details.

China, 1736-1795. The vessel supported on a spreading foot, the body flaring towards the rim and flanked by two loop handles. The tapered cover surmounted by a large wave-like rim and flanked by two smaller loop handles. The exterior finely carved with archaistic masks between key-fret borders, inlaid with four jades of pale celadon color, and finely gilt, the interior lacquered in cinnabar.

Provenance: From an Austrian private collection.
Condition: Fine condition, commensurate with age and the fragile nature of the lacquer. Old wear, light surface scratches, expected age cracks, minor losses and chips, small old repairs. Naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 1,166 g
Dimensions: Height 23.4 cm

The present vessel is modeled after the archaic bronze fu, which was a ritual vessel used to contain food during the Zhou dynasty. The Qianlong Emperor was known to be a zealous collector of archaic bronze vessels and commissioned the publication of the Xiqing gujian (Xiqing mirror of antiquities), an illustrated catalog of his bronze collection. This publication, compiled in 1749, provided models for many of the works of art produced in various materials for the Imperial Court during this period. Vessels of this type were displayed in pairs on the right side of offering tables at the Temple to Imperial Ancestors. They contained cereal offerings of millet, rice or sorghum.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related gilt-lacquered fu vessel and cover, with a Qianlong mark and of the period, in the collection of the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, exhibited in For Blessings and Guidance: the Qianlong Emperor's Design for State Sacrificial Vessels, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Art Museum, Hong Kong, 26 January to 5 May 2019. Similarly decorated gilt-lacquer ritual food vessels of different shapes are illustrated in the exhibition catalog, The Life of Emperor Qianlong, Macau Museum of Art, 2002, p. 61-63. It is noted that ritual vessels of this type were made in bronze, ceramic and gilt-lacquered wood throughout the Qing dynasty, and it is likely that they were re-used by successive emperors, which would account for the appearance of different reign marks on the same vessel. The author also notes that the gilt-lacquered wood examples were produced both with and without jade inlay and that the inlaid examples were reserved for Imperial use.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1309
Price: USD 17,500 or approx. EUR 21,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare imperial gilt-lacquered wood archaistic vessel and cover, gui, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Note that while this vessel was dated to the Qianlong period, it shows a Kangxi reign mark to the interior of the cover and a Jiaqing reign mark to the base of the vessel. Also note the extensive condition issues of this lot and that the inlays are made from serpentine, not jade, which may indicate that they are later replacements.



乾隆時期御製鑲玉金漆簠
中國，1736-1795年。覆斗狀，橫截面為長方形，大口，矩形圈足，短邊上有半環耳，有蓋，腹壁斜直。外壁飾雷紋與饕餮紋，鑲嵌四顆青玉，鎏金漆。器内紅漆。

專家注釋：本器鑲玉，應出自皇家，詳情請參閱下文的文獻比較。

來源：奧地利私人收藏。
品相：狀況良好，磨損，輕微劃痕，老化裂縫，輕微缺損和缺口，小修。整體自然包漿。

重量：1,166 克
尺寸：高 23.4 厘米

本器簠，是中國周代特有的青銅食器兼禮器，用來盛放穀物飯食。眾所周知，乾隆皇帝是一位古銅器收藏家，曾下令出版了他的青銅收藏圖錄《西清古鑒》。這本出版於 1749 年的書，是著錄清代宮廷所藏古代青銅器的大型譜錄，為這一時期的朝廷使用各種材料製作的許多器皿提供了模型。此類器物成對陳列於太祖廟供桌右側。

文獻比較：
比較一件非常相近的乾隆款及年代金漆簠 ，收藏於香港中文大學文物館，展覽於香港中文大學文物館編，《For Blessings and Guidance: the Qianlong Emperor's Design for State Sacrificial Vessels》，香港，2019年1月26日至5月5日。相似的金漆簠，但外型不同，見展覽圖錄，《The Life of Emperor Qianlong》，澳門藝術博物館，2002年，頁61-63。值得注意的是，這種禮器在整個清代都是由青銅、陶瓷和金漆木製成的，很可能被歷代皇帝重複使用，這將解釋不同年號出現在相同禮器的原因。作者還指出，金漆木簠有鑲玉和無鑲玉兩種，鑲玉樣是為皇室保留的。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年3月22日，lot 1309
價格：USD 17,500（相當於今日EUR 21,500）
描述：清乾隆漆金木簋
專家評論：請注意此簠被認為是乾隆時期，但蓋子內部有康熙款，簠底部有嘉慶款。請注意此簠有品相問題，且內嵌的是蛇紋石，而非玉，也可能為較晚期的替代品。

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