Mid-20th Century Chinese Hand Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Plate

This vase was made during the Mid-20th Century in Beijing. It is very unique with intricate carving works of landscaping and characters. The workmanship is superb. It is very rare that there is no too much similar vases in existence, probably because it was too labour-intensive even for the court to mass produce. Lacquer is the sap of a tree (Rhus vernicifera) that grows in East Asia. It was tapped, filtered and mixed with cinnabar to produce a red color. The lacquer worker...

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This classic solid rosewood coffee table has traditional hand-carving works along the four sides. Constructed with traditional joinery technique provides lasting strength and stabili...

This exquisite fan showcases the artistry and cultural heritage of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. Handmade with meticulous attention to detail, the fan features beautifully carve...

Early 20th century Chinese Red Lacquer decorated box. Relief carved top panel of an attendant and scholar. Fine finger joints on the box and lid. Inside top of the lid having Chinese...

This superbly large Chinese carved red cinnabar lacquer vase is highly decorative and a beautiful piece of Chinese art. The vase is highly c...

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...

Chinese cinnabar lacquer hand mirror, with floral and rustic garden fences as decoration, all carved in deep relief. Topped by a round knob also with f...