清乾隆 剔彩八仙慶壽九桃春壽套盒

the cover crisply and deeply carved through layers of red, green, yellow and black lacquer with a conforming peach-shaped panel enclosing a large Chun ('spring') character centred with a roundel framing a seated Shoulao with a recumbent deer beneath a pine tree, and rising from a large quatrefoil jardinière carved to the exterior with a band of lotus scrolls above upright leaves and radiating alternating red, green and yellow waves fanned out behind hovering auspicious emblems, all flanked by two descending five-clawed dragons reaching for the central roundel, amid scrolling ruyi clouds, all against a wan-diaper ground, the rounded sides of the box and cover carved with nine bats flying among dense foliage issuing nine large longevity peaches, the cover opening to reveal a black lacquer fitted tray gilt with further bats amid foliage, modelled to house nine small peach-shaped boxes, each in a different colour and decorated with one of the ‘Eight Daoist Immortals’ attributes in billowing ribbons and the ninth with a bat suspending a beribboned chime and a pair of peaches, the interiors and bases of all the boxes lacquered black

Loyce Mayfield 夫人收藏，阿拉巴馬州伯明瀚
伯明瀚蘇富比1977年6月10/11日，編號70
香港佳士得2013年3月21/22日，編號1319

The box and cover set is in overall very good condition for its age and type. The set has some occasional restored old cracks consistent with age, especially to the large box. Parts of the rims have been repainted to conceal some expected superficial flakes and crackles, including a few sections to the rim of the large cover. The left rim of the tray has been lightly repainted to stabilise some expected age cracks and flakes. The original gilt decoration, however, has been well preserved. There are also typical flakes to the extremities, some of which have been stabilised, retouched or restored. That includes small flakes to the delicately carved raised areas on the large cover and occasional tiny flakes to the carved cinnabar patterns of the small boxes and covers. The small ‘ruyi’ box has a belt of brocade pattern which has been slightly worn down.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

本套盒雕工精絕，紋飾構圖嚴謹，絲絲入扣，異常珍罕，除本器外僅止一例，售於香港佳士得2011年11月30日，編號3068。如此厚重漆器，疊施漆層，再施細工雕琢，展示漆層色彩，配合紋飾設計，巧思盡見。本套盒之華美臻麗，更見於盒內之九小盒，每盒皆雕刻精美，盒內描金襯板繪纏枝蓮紋、蝙蝠等紋飾，典雅瑰麗。本品既顯清代雕漆絕技，亦彰乾隆年間盛世繁華。

據宮廷紀錄，此類漆盒多稱作「春壽寶盒」，或為壽辰賀禮，或作春節攢盤，紋飾寓意吉祥，以嘉靖漆盒為範。盒面上雕聚寶盤，上托「春」字。聚寶盤，相當於西方「富饒之角」，盤內滿載金錢、元寶、珊瑚、珍珠及其他珍材。Therese Tse Bartholomew 指，乾隆帝喜其紋飾寄寓福壽綿長、生生不息，是以令藝匠製此類漆盒，見《中國吉祥圖案》，三藩市，2006年，頁224。

九小桃盒，八盒雕道教八仙為飾，第九盒則雕展翅瑞蝠口銜磬，取其福慶之意。九桃之紋，寄福壽長久之寓，乾隆御瓷有見，如粉彩九桃瓶（拍品編號3610），鄒本始自雍正一朝，唯雍正例僅飾八桃。

壽桃，寓意吉祥，深受雍正及乾隆二帝喜愛。所謂五福，一曰壽、二曰富、三曰康寧、四曰攸好德、五曰考終命。壽桃與五福符號相關，道家追求長生，壽桃亦曰仙桃，仙人壽老形象多持仙桃，本蓋盒春字內，圓形開光內雕壽老，正合整體寓意。

參考一例，或與本品同組，惟缺屜板、內盒，售於香港蘇富比2008年4月11日，編號2866。另有一例售於倫敦佳士得1985年6月14/17日，編號417。且有一盒，售於紐約佳士得1982年2月23/24日，編號509。此外尚有一尺寸較小之盒，可資比較，售於香港蘇富比2010年10月8日，編號2642。

上海博物館收藏一例，盒面紋飾稍異，春字較小而龍紋較大，屜板髹漆，嵌八仙圖小盒八個，組成八仙慶壽圖，載於《中國漆器全集》，卷6，福州，1993年，圖版219。北京故宮博物院也珍藏一例，盒為桃形，蓋面雕桃實，且繪桃枝綻花結果、竹、靈芝、五蝠等紋飾，盒內套有一桃花式盒及桃形小盒九個，載於《盛世華章》，英國皇家藝術學院，倫敦，2006年，編號296。

乾隆年製圓形壽春寶盒，較多見於各大公私收藏，包括清宮舊藏一例，現存北京，見《中國漆器全集》，出處同上，圖版218。臺北國立故宮博物院亦藏一例，曾展於《故宮漆器特展目錄》，臺北，1981年，圖版67。抱一齋舊藏一盒，售於香港蘇富比2014年10月8日，編號3224。據《清宮內務府造辦處檔案》記載，乾隆二十五年（1760）八月初十日〈油木作〉：「郎中白世秀、員外郎金輝來說太監胡世傑交紅雕漆壽春寶盒十二件，傳旨：著刻「壽春寶盒」、「大清乾隆年製」，先貼樣呈覽。欽此」。明嘉靖春壽寶盒雛本，一例藏於北京故宮博物院，參見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．元明漆器》，香港， 2006年，圖版134。