Pair of Cinnabar Style Elephant Stools

A set of four levantine mother of pearl inlay stools with carved wooden sides and legs. Curved seat frame on four turned legs united by stret...

A highly decorative pair of Venetian Grotto giltwood seats. Carved open shell motif resting on intricately carved tripod base with sea dragon motif legs. Giltwood accents and painted...

A lovely pair of Louis XV style giltwood upholstered benches that are meticulously handcrafted. Each bench features delicately carved elements of Rococo style including scrolling aca...

A lovely pair of giltwood Louis XV style upholstered settees. Caned seat backs and arms. Features highly decorative carvings of floral and foliage motifs on frame of settees. Newly...

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...

A fine antique Chinese red cinnabar lacquer lidded round box carved with a scene with a young boy and a seated elderly bearded sage within a rocky landscape with trees. The "dragon's...

A large vintage Chinese red cinnabar box with deep relief carved lid depicting peonies, trees and a landscape with a palace. The round box has...

Large antique Chinese carved and painted cinnabar lacquer style covered round box, top decorated in relief with two fierce, scaly, slithering dragons chasing a flaming pearl amongst ...