20th-Century Chinese Lacquer Cabinet

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Description

This 1920s Chinese wedding cabinet is an example of an antique lacquered storage piece, likely originating from Fujian, an eastern … Read more This 1920s Chinese wedding cabinet is an example of an antique lacquered storage piece, likely originating from Fujian, an eastern coastal city known for the distinctive red and black palette of its furniture. The piece’s design incorporates Ming-style elements, blending clean lines with ornate carvings to create a piece that is both functional and a conversation-starting collector's item.
Such cabinets were integral to traditional Chinese interiors. What would you keep in there? Likely it would be a person’s cherished items or treasured scholar's objects. The importance of the contents would be underscored by the painted artistry of the inner cabinet base, the drawer’s bottom and even two figures on the back—private areas no one would ever see except the owner.
The piece’s “public face” features a striking vermillion red and black lacquer finish. It is adorned with intricate, hand-carved fretwork panels as well as painted motifs. The scenes on the doors and drawer fronts are drawn from nature and present figures in idealized garden settings done in gilt.
Historically, such a cabinet was typically built from quality woods like elm, pine, or mixed woods using traditional through-tenon joinery.
Standing at 42-1/2 inches high and a little over a foot deep, with an upper cabinet and a lower drawer for versatile storage, it’s perfect in a hall or as a lamp table, or even as a nightstand. If you've read this far, you can already see where it would be perfect in your home.
Signature/Maker’s mark: Nonexistent. See less