each body with deep slightly rounded sides rising from a tall hollow splayed foot to an everted rim, well and deeply carved around the exterior with lança characters amidst stylized leafy lotus, a band of ruyi lappets around the base and elegantly beaded strapwork around the foot, all against a black lozenge-carved ground, the interior black lacquered (2)

Phillips London, 12th June 1996, lot 129.

Both stembowls have restoration to mouth and foot rims and scattered minute nicks and losses. One has a single crack to the exterior of the base.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Inspired by Tibetan butterlamps, these stembowls were made in Beijing for the Qianlong emperor, an ardent follower of Tibetan Buddhism. The form and decoration of these bowls occurs both with and without Qianlong reign marks and gilt-metal liners. A similar unmarked stembowl from the Qing Court Collection is published in Carved Lacquer in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1985, pl. 338; another was sold at Christies London, 23rd June 1980, lot 146 from the collection of Heliot Fils, Paris.  A pair with Qianlong seal marks was sold in our London rooms, 5th November 2008, lot 53. Other imperial examples are known; one in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco illustrated in Hai-Wai yi-chen: Lacquerware, Taipei, 1987, pl. 153; one in the Linden Museum, Stuttgart included in the exhibition Im Zeichen des Drachen, Museum fur Lackkunst, Munster, 2006, cat. no. 86; and another in the Shandong Tai'an City Museum, Tai'an, illustrated in Zhongguo qiqi quanji, vol. 6, Fujian, 1993, pl. 212.