Low Chinese Painted Book Cabinet, Ming Dynasty

This lacquered display cabinet from Shanxi province was crafted in the mid-19th century using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery methods. The enclosed lower half was used for general storage and the open upper shelf was used to display precious objects such as vases, curios, or piles of books. The exterior is darkened by a black lacquer finish and hand-painted with charming decorative motifs, including bronze censers, flower vases, scrolls, and scholars' objects. Original brass hardware secures the doors, now richly aged with a smooth patina and subtle oxidation. Unusual for its smaller scale, we love this painted cabinet in a children's bedroom or playroom as an unexpected bookcase or toy chest...

Traces of the original gilt floral painting remain on the doors of this early 18th century red-lacquered chest from Shanxi province. Countless coats of hand-applied red lacquer give ...

Made of Chinese northern elm, this altar cabinet once contained the essentials for ancestor rituals. Although darkened with age, the cabinet’s two doors ...

Seamlessly constructed and lacquered black, this pair of spectacular Ming-dynasty compound cabinets provided the perfect blank canvas for painted scen...

Classic Chinese furniture design is characterized by the flawless construction, purity of line, and dedication to detail you see here in this two-door cabinet. This beautiful elmwood...

This austere 19th century Chinese cabinet from China's Shanxi province was constructed with grand proportions. The expressive grain of northern elmwood (yumu) patterns the doors with...

A Chinese Ming Dynasty style wooden butterfly cabinet from the 19th century, with carved spandrels, drawers, doors and dark patina. Born in China during the 19th century, this exquis...

A late 18th century 4-door lacquered cabined from the Qing Dynasty, China, decorated in red lacquer with gilt and painted scenes of traditional village life of the period. The fitted...

An antique Chinese Ming dynasty style cabinet from the 19th century, with two pairs of double doors, two drawers, carved giltwood motifs and red accents. Born in China during the 19th century, this wooden cabinet captures our attention with its contrast of colors and delicately carved motifs. Presenting a linear silhouette, the cabinet is adorned with court scenes on the left panel and work scenes on the right. This gilt décor stands out beautifully on the dark ground, while other carved panels are highlighted by a red ground in the lower section. Two pairs of double doors total open to reveal a convenient storage space, the lower ones hiding inner drawers. Carved on the apron, the cabinet is resting on four straight legs. With its clean lines and skillfully carved decor, this Ming style cabinet...

A Chinese Ming dynasty style elmwood antique cabinet from the 19th century, with two doors, drawers and lower removable panel. Crafted in China during ...

A beautiful, Ming dynasty style scholar's cabinet. The doors and side panels are all solid single boards set with mitered, tenon and mortise construction. Two exterior and interior d...

An antique Chinese Ming Dynasty style red lacquered console cabinet from the early 20th century, with five drawers and double doors. Born in ...