Box with dragons and pierced cover

Large box of thick porcelain, with a shallow body on footring, globular lid with four round, openwork medallions and flat knob, painted in underglaze bleu poudré (powder blue) and red. On the body of the box four carved-out precious objects in underglaze red; on the lid two carved-out dragons chasing a flaming pearl in underglaze red. The white knob is painted with a flower. The inside is divided into six compartments around a circular centre. Crack in the lid; twice copper mounts on circular centre. On the underside the six-character mark of Emperor Chenghua in a double circle. Underglaze blue with copper red.