Price guide to antique Cloisonne boxes. During the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), cloisonne improved and reached its artistic summit. Colors were more delicate, filigrees more flexible and fluent, and scope was enlarged beyond the sacrifice-process wares into snuff bottles, folding screens, incense burners, tables, chairs, chopsticks, and bowls. The general method for making cloisonné involved first soldering brass wires to the surface of a copper object to form a pattern or illustration; then, according to the requirements of each pattern, colored enamels were filled in. Reference: New World Encyclopedia
A very fine and rare Imperial cloisonné enamel seal paste box and cover
Incised Qianlong four-character mark and nian character and of the period
Of domed circular form rising from a short straight foot, the domed cover vividly enamelled in various tones of red, yellow, pink and blue with four stylised blossoming lotus issuing from scrolling tendrils encircling a raised gilt bloom, the box similarly decorated with scrolling daisy, all reserved on a rich turquoise ground, the gilt underside inscribed with a four-character reign mark and a nian character. 6.8cm (2 5/8in) diam.
Sold for HK$ 312,500 (£ 28,274) inc. premium at Bonhams in 2017
A SMALL CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL CIRCULAR BOX AND COVER
QIANLONG FOUR-CHARACTER INSCRIBED MARK WITH AN ADDITIONAL CHARACTER, ZHONG, AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
The domed cover is centered by an Arabic inscription in black on a white ground within an outer field of flower scroll repeated on the sides of the box, with ruyi borders at the rims.
2 ½ in. (6.3 cm.) diam.
Sold for USD 10,625 at Christies in
Chinese cloisonne box, Qianlong mark. Ht 13 cm. Diameter 20 cm. Provenance: A New York Collector.
Sold For: $1,500 at Montgomery Auction in 2018
A CLOISONNE COVER BOX WITH QIANLONG MARK
The box is enameled with blossoms and leafy scrolls pattern in blue, red, yellow, green and white cloisonne color, with QingQianLongNianZhi mark. Dimension 3.149 x 7.48 x 5.11 in / Weight 1366 g
Sold For: $1,600 at Harvard’s Auction in 2018
A GILT-DECORACTED CLOISONNE PEACH-FORM BOX Qianlong mark 23cm. wide, 13cm. high.
Sold For: $2,750 at
MaxMarco Brothers in 2018
A LARGE CLOISONNE BOX AND COVER
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD
of circular form with deep rounded sides set on a short, waisted foot, the domed cover centered with a shou character medallion surrounded by stylized kuilong and ruyi-head bands, eight resplendent interlinking lotus scrolls serving as the principal decoration, their curling vines, furled leaves, and blossoms creating a complex network of color against the turquoise ground, a band of stylized pink lappets at the rim, the lotus motif repeated on the box under a ruyi-head band, the interior of the box centered with two ripe peaches and a soaring bat, the foot wrapped in lapis-blue keyfret, the rims gilt (2)
Diameter 15 in., 38.1 cm.
he style of enameling on the present box is consistent with the enamelwares produced in Guangdong in the 18th century as tributes to the Qing Court in Beijing. For a smaller, similarly decorated box in the Qing Court Collection, Beijing, see Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Art Gallery of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1987, cat. no. 35.
Sold for 37,500 USD at Sothebys in 2018
