An extraordinary group of seven jade imperial archer's rings with its imperial inscribed cinnabar lacquer box and cover, Marks and period of Qianlong; the box and cover recorded to have been made in or before 1752 | 清乾隆 御製翡翠和闐玉扳指七枚 連御製詩剔紅紫檀落花流水三魚紋蓋盒 《乾隆年製》款 據錄漆盒製於乾隆十七年或更早

An extraordinary group of seven jade imperial archer's rings with its imperial inscribed cinnabar lacquer box and cover,

Marks and period of Qianlong; the box and cover recorded to have been made in or before 1752

清乾隆 御製翡翠和闐玉扳指七枚

連御製詩剔紅紫檀落花流水三魚紋蓋盒 《乾隆年製》款

據錄漆盒製於乾隆十七年或更早

Lacquer box:

superbly carved and meticulously incised in exceptionally deep layers of varying relief through the rich red cinnabar, the top surface with three leaping carp representing the rebus ruyu deshui signifying joy and delight, their scales, lateral and dorsal fins all finely incised in meticulous detail, the fish captured in varying vivid poses swimming amid cherry blossoms floating upon turbulent crested waves, the sides similarly decorated with cherry blossoms and crested waves, the interior of the box lacquered black, incised and gilt with a five-column inscription written in regular script, ending with Qianlong dingchou yuti ('imperially inscribed by the Qianlong Emperor in the dingchou year, corresponding to 1757'), the cover with another five-column inscription ending with Qianlong jimao yuti ('imperially inscribed by the Qianlong Emperor in the jimao year, corresponding to 1759'), the base incised with the four-character reign mark

Zitan liner:

comprising two parts, the tray masterfully carved from a single trunk of zitan with straight sides and an everted rim, fitted with seven pegs, inscribed to the base in gilt with a seven-column inscription ending with Qianlong xinsi yuti ('imperially inscribed by the Qianlong Emperor in the xinsi year, corresponding to 1761'), the cover delicately carved as a flat disc, inscribed to both sides in gilt with an inscription ending with Qianlong yuti

Archer's rings:

each varying only slightly in size, with one rounded and one chamfered edge

lacquer box: d. 12 cm

each ring: d. 3 cm, h. 2.2 cm