Chased silver covered box enriched with niello

Manager ID

313

Title

Chased silver covered box enriched with niello Southern Song-Yuan dynasty (13th century)

Short title

Chased silver covered box enriched with niello

Record number

BATEA : 306

Simple name

box

Classified name

metal; silver; Song; niello; Yuan; box; landscape; figures; musical instrument; egret; fish; China

Description

Description part summary

A circular, chased silver covered box of Song to early Ming lacquer shape with circular, slightly raised section on the top, the base without a foot rim. Decorated on the top with numerous ladies and attendants engaged in various pursuits in a garden setting, their hair accentutated with silver sulphide niello. The curved sides with birds amid prunus, chrysanthemum and other flowers, the base section with egrets in a lotus pond in various positions chasing fish, one of which is trying to hide. One of the ladies is playing a pipa held half-way between the vertical and horizontal positions. By the Ming dynasty the pipa was played in the horizontal position. In the Tang it was played vertically.

Description material

silver & niello

Description condition

good

Description Colour

Aspect	Colour

body	silver
decoration

Description length

Description height

4.1cm

Description diameter

7.3cm

Description width

Description depth

Description inscription

Description notes

Gallery location

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