Lot#: 163 Famille Rose Yellow-Grounds Dragon Circular Box and Cover Qing Dynasty, with a Qianlong Mark An important and exquisite mid Qing imperial porcelain box decorated with nine dragons playing among flowers, with famille rose enamels in a yellow ground. The box has a very fine clay body with a graceful contour. The well-ground, unglazed, and tightly matching mouth rims of the cover and the main body demonstrate the imperial factory’s outstanding workmanship. The artistic European floral decoration of porcelain (called Yang Hua or foreign flowers) was introduced to China during the early Qianlong reign, which rapidly evolved into complex patterns like we see on the cover of this large box. The lovely motif of nine dragons playing among foreign flowers is also a creation of the Qianlong imperial factory. Similarly, the extensive use of gold enamel to enhance the luxuriousness was also a style created during that period. The glaze on the inner wall is even, unctuous, and without the intense shine of newly fired porcelain, reflecting the date of the mid Qing period. A typical Qianlong imperial mark is written on the outer base. Condition: Overall in good condition with one chip on the bottom rim. PROVENANCE: Dr. Robert I. Lin, brought to California from Taipei in 1960s. 清中期粉彩黃地九龍戲花紋大圓盒。形極規，扁圓體圈足，蓋沿與主體口沿呈母子扣合，扣合處無釉，琢磨得細平，使扣蓋緊密。這是康熙雍正及乾隆時的蓋與主體扣合處做法。胎細，白色微帶灰，與晚清民國的粉白胎大不同。圈足端滾圓並琢磨甚細。內壁白釉，釉面細潤如玉面，明顯帶青，乳濁感強，是典型清早中期官窯釉的一種。蓋飾五龍，主體飾四龍，分別以紅彩描金，粉紅，深藍，秋葵綠，大綠等彩細緻地繪畫鱗甲，背脊及腹.隻隻蹻健，勇猛生動。蓋頂描金龍,張巨口巨眼，正面猛視，確有帝王的威風。以大綠繪洋花葉，並在葉的鋸齒形邊緣加填黑彩，顕出明暗立體化。這是乾隆開創的洋花繪法。洋花與中國傳統的纏枝蓮佈滿鮮艷的黃地上,華麗異常，有乾隆晚期的神韻。外底四書大清乾隆年製三行紅彩章式篆款。這种乾隆瓷圆盒一直被仿製到光绪，器形大致相同 ，但仿品内壁釉是粉白色，不帶青，欠细润，而且纹饰粗陋，與此盒的華丽纹饰有天地之差。 來源: 加州林亦森博士私人珍藏, 1960年代由台北帶來美國. 清乾隆 粉彩黃地九龍戲花紋大圓盒 <<大清乾隆年制>> 款 Size: 6 3/4 in. (17 cm.) h x 10 5/8 in. (27 cm.) w