Apothecary cabinet
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Apothecary cabinet
About the Item
Cabinetmakers of the Ming and Ching Dynasties (1344-1911) inherited extremely high standards of workmanship from previous generations of woodworkers. However, during these centuries they created new forms and designs that have endured to the present day. Years of refinement, study, and practice, ultimately combined with great artistic license and the freedom to decorate furniture with color and imagery - and in some instances, to endow pieces with a distinct and noble purpose. The result can be called vernacular Chinese furniture.
One of the more unusual types of Vernacular furniture is apothecary, or medicine cabinets. Traditional Chinese medicine is herbal based, meaning there were no pharmaceuticals, but instead, the raw herbs from which western pharmaceuticals are derived. This medicine was most often dispensed in the form of tea, which was brewed from the herbs. To store the herbs, physicians kept apothecary cabinets in their offices. These cabinets, like the rest of vernacular Chinese furniture, were varied in design, but all had multiple drawers labeled with the various herbs stored inside.
This piece is the largest example we have ever encountered. The patina is superb and the original herbal descriptions on the drawers have been preserved.
- Dimensions:Height: 84 in (213.36 cm)Width: 127.5 in (323.85 cm)Depth: 19 in (48.26 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:Lacquered
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:19th Century
- Condition:Superb. Shows all the signs of authenticity and has been carefully and sensitively restored.
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: F0803-0491stDibs: 09112488112
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