Blonde Chinese Hide Storage Trunk, C. 1800

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Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to … Read more Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscellaneous items, trunks were found in every room in the home and were often stacked on top of one another.

This early 19th century storage trunk has a simple, rectangular form, wrapped in a layer of softly worn hide and accented by a round brass lock plate. Likely originally coated in dark oxblood-brown lacquer, the hide exterior has been stripped and bleached to a neutral, pale blonde color. The interior is lined with indigo fabric in beautiful contrast to the pale exterior. The trunk has worn beautifully with age, textured with imperfections and traces of ink-stamped seal marks. Exemplifying the elegant restraint of Ming and Qing dynasty wares, this minimalist chest links the present to the past with its timeless form. See less