A rare mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer cabinet with display shelf Late Ming Dynasty, 16th / 17th Century

finely inlaid with a scene of 'immortals throwing arrows over pavilions of the Western Sea' at the back of a rectangular display shelf, framed by shaped aprons and low rails with vase-shaped struts at the sides, above a pair of hinged doors inlaid with scenes of further sages within pavilion landscapes, reserved against lozenge diaper and scattered flowerheads imitating brocade-mounted scroll paintings, the sides of the cabinet and the front of the apron inlaid with pine and prunus trees, the interior with one shelf and two drawers

There have been restoration done to the doors, aprons, and sides of the cabinets. The interior panel and the shelf of the display cabinet are in quite good condition, with very little restoration. The lockplate and hinges appear to be original as are the drawers and shelves. The left front corner of the open shelf with an 1 by 1/4 inch chip. The interior right balustrade with an 1 by 1/2 inch chip. The left front center section of corner with chips. The interior of the display shelf frame has a 20th century metal tract for sliding doors installed on the top. The bottom tract has been removed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

It is very rare to find large scale mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture. Compare two 16th century two-door cabinets, one in the Tokyo National Museum and the other in the Okura Cultural Foundation in Tokyo, both illustrated in Mother-of-Pearl Inlay in Chinese Lacquer Art, Tokyo National Museum, 1981, cat. nos. 77 and 78. Also see a four-poster lacquer bed in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, (part 1) vol. 53, Hong Kong, 2002, no. 3.

Stylistically, the birds and the foliage on the sides of the cabinet closely resemble birds on a lacquer tray from the same period illustrated in op.cit., pl. 81. However, these styles also closely resemble the pieces made on the Ryukyu Islands during the Ming Dynasty.  The Ryukuyu Islands are a chain of islands off southern Japan, known during the Ming dynasty as the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. Ever since the first Ming emperor, Hongwu, sent emissaries to the islands in the 14^th century and they in turn sent lacquer tributes to the Ming court, the Ryukyu craftsmen produced lacquer faithful to 14th century Chinese styles and techniques, even into much later periods. Compare two display cabinets from the 16^th / 17^th century illustrated in Ryukyuan Lacquerware from the Urasoe Art Museum Collection, Urasoe Art Museum, 1995, nos. 62 and 63.