Lot 572: A pair of Chinese black lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay wall panels, 20th century

A pair of rectangular wall panels constructed from hardwood with a black lacquer finish. The decorative scheme utilizes hand-carved mother-of-pearl (nacre) inlays in raised relief, displaying natural iridescent and creamy tones, supplemented by gilt-painted accents. The panels depict traditional huaniao (birds and flowers) motifs. One panel features two crested songbirds with long tail feathers positioned among flowering branches. The second panel illustrates a pair of aquatic birds, resembling mandarin ducks, swimming within a lotus pond featuring large leaves and a blossoming flower beside a stylized rock formation. Both panels are enclosed by gilt-painted borders consisting of an interlocking double-coin geometric pattern on the vertical sides and scrolling grapevine motifs at the top and bottom. The reverse of each panel is finished with a matte black wash. One panel retains a brass hanging mount cast in the form of a traditional Chinese lucky coin character. No maker’s marks, signatures, or inscriptions are present on either piece.