A JAPANESE RECTANGULAR MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID `QUAILS` BLACK LACQUER TRAY Edo Period, Ryukyu Islands Decorated with three quails feeding beneath heavy ears of millet, another bird in flight above, the central scene framed by an intricate border of panels of flowerheads and feathery foliage on a dense diaper ground with edges further defined by a twisted wire, the reverse with stylised blossoms, all raised on four short bracket feet, 21cm high, 21cm wide The motif of quails and millet was very popular in China since the Southern Song dynasty, used in Chinese as a pun for sui sui ping an , translating to `everlasting peace year after year`. THIS LOT IS OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE.