Lot 306

Blue and White Porcelain ‘Scholar in Landscape’ Seal Paste Box and Cover.

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Blue and White Porcelain ‘Scholar in Landscape’ Seal Paste Box and Cover.

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)

by Fine Estate Inc.
June 21, 2026 11:00 AM PDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
121 Jordan Street
San Rafael, CA, US 94901

Blue and White Porcelain ‘Scholar in Landscape' Seal Paste Box and Cover.
Chenghua mark, Late Qing Dynasty/early 20th Century.
The circular box and domed cover finely painted in underglaze cobalt blue with a mountainous river landscape. The scene depicts a scholar seated in a waterside pavilion amongst pine trees, with distant mountains and a fisherman on river rock. The composition is rendered in the style of classical Chinese landscape painting, with careful attention to brushwork and perspective. The base inscribed with a six-character Da Ming Chenghua Nian Zhi mark within double circles.
Diameter: approx. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)

Provenance: Retains an old inspection seal from the cultural relics bureau wax seal.

Condition: In excellent condition. The box and cover are free from cracks, chips, or restoration. The cobalt blue is vibrant with minor expected pitting to the glaze, typical of 19th-century wares. The collector's wax seal is intact.

Note: This seal paste box exemplifies the scholarly taste of the late Qing dynasty. The ‘Chenghua' mark is apocryphal, a common practice in the 19th century to pay homage to the celebrated wares of the Ming dynasty Chenghua reign (1465-1487). Such boxes were essential accoutrements for a scholar's desk, used to hold the red cinnabar paste for sealing documents and paintings. The presence of the wax seal indicates it entered a Western collection in the early 20th century.

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Shipping

Auction house does not provide in-house shipping. Please contact one of the shippers listed below, or a shipper of your choice, for a shipping quote prior to bidding:
RM Auction Shipping Services, [email protected] , (415) 860-3163 ph#
Packaging Store, [email protected]
Pak Mail, [email protected]

Fine Estate, Inc. may be able to ship small jewelry items. Please contact the gallery directly for a shipping quote. [email protected]

Fine Estate Inc.

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Bid Increments
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$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,250
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $25,000
$500,000 + $50,000