Antique Chinese Blue & White Porcelain Box, with hand carved figures inside lid and base.

The piece was likely produced in the late Qing dynasty in the southern kilns of Zhangzhou prefecture for export. Wares such as this were produced in large quantities for export to south Asian and western markets. The coarsely potted box is typical of such pieces, but the domed lid and four small feet give the piece an elevated quality. The piece is decorated with a profusion of abstracted flowers which are framed with geometric elements, which is a common theme for these pieces. 

The vivid cobalt blue color and spare, rapid brushwork of the decoration, with its exaggerated sweep of line and exaggerated, overlapping shapes, bring a life and movement to the painting that gives an illusion of realism.  The way the irregular bubbles in the glaze catch the light only add to the feeling of dimension and movement. On the inside, both the lid and the base bear inscriptions in Chinese characters on pale celadon glaze.

Marks: The box is unmarked aside from the inscriptions.

Measurements:  4" wide, 3" across