Burmese Yun Lacquer Container, c. 1900

The vermillion lacquered cylindrical body decorated overall with repeating bands of curvilinear geometric motifs, the cover lifting to reveal both of its original trays intended to h...

Splendid and vintage Burmese Box, red lacquered and engraved, unusual size. O/5307 -

18th century Burmese black bamboo pillow box in relief with red Rakhine lacquer. Created with bamboo weaving. Decorated all-over with geometrical shapes and...

Burmese red lacquered temple offering box called "Hsunok". Burmese offering basket made of carved bamboo wood painted and lacquered in hues of red and oranges. The lid adopts a Burmese temple shape, with a sharp top surmounting a gadroon dome. This kind of basket is used to display offerings to Buddhist temples, in Asia. During most of the 19th century Burma was ruled by members of the Konbaung dynasty, the last dynasty that would rule the country. This Asian Burmese red offering...

A very attractive Japanese wood table top jewelry or collector's chest with marquetry and lacquer decoration, Meiji period, circa 1900, Japan. Previously in the collection of Asbjorn Lunde (1927 - 2017). The chest is crafted in the form of a Chinese seal...

Lacquer Potpourri box and cover with ormolu mountings from 18th century Directoire Japan/ France.

South Asian Burmese black and red lacquer box, offering vessel urn with compartment for storage. This round lacquer ware box from Burma is made from bamboo and lacquer. In Burma (now...

The case decorated overall in crackle-glaze white lacquer and fitted with a patinated metal carrying handle over three tiers of small drawers. The first two tiers are comprised of a ...

Tebako box with three compartments in golden and nashi-ji lacquer, decorated with golden, red, and kirigane lacquer, golden persimmon tree leaves, among rocks. The compartments are of increasing size from the top. The decoration is in continuity. Persimmon has been cultivated in southern China for more than 2500 years and is believed to have been introduced to Japan in the 8th century. The veneer is a tree with very hard wood, similar to ebony. According to a legend, one specimen survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, close to the epicenter. It is therefore in Japan a symbol of strength and longevity. It is also the national fruit of the country. It is eaten as a traditional dish during New Year's Day celebrations. Tebako literally means "portable box...

This intriguing Chinese zhadou is intricately carved of fine cinnabar lacquer. A work of exceptional artistry, this covered bowl is adorned with an intricately carved floral motif on all surfaces, including the cover and the wide rim. Also known as a cuspidor or spittoon, this rare container would have been used by members of the imperial family and scholar- officials at the court. Carved during the Kangxi period (1662-1722), this charming piece exhibits the high detail and charm associated with items from that period, making it a true treasure, Early 18th century (Kangxi dynasty) Measures: 6 ¼” wide x 3 ¼” high Cinnabar has been revered for its color all over the world. It has been found in the royal burial chambers of the Mayas, in the rituals of India, and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. In China, cinnabar and gold were the two most important elements in alchemy. Mined since the Neolithic Age, cinnabar is the ore of mercury, and as such, it can be incredibly toxic, especially when mining. In fact, during the Roman Empire, miners at Spain’s Almadén mine in Spain were frequently exposed to mercury fumes, and the subsequent, often fatal, sickness was considered an occupational hazard. The most popular known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquer-ware, a technique that is believed to have originated in the Song Dynasty, in which cinnabar is ground to a powder and added to clear lacquer. As with mining, there was inherent danger of mercury poisoning for those who carved the lacquer, as mercury was also released into the air when artisans ground the pigments. Most antique cinnabar...