Naga Jackwood Rice Trunk, ca. 1900

Made of humble pine, this late 19th-century Tibetan trunk once sparkled with vibrant color and shimmering gilt embellishment. A century of use has softened its original brilliance, t...

Marvelously hand-crafted chest from the late 1600s or early 1700s. One of the things that make antiques so appealing & attractive is the fact that most pieces were handmade in recognizable styles, with proven techniques AND with natural materials that could and would stand the test of time. The longer back in time we go, the more that seems to be the case. This amazing chest from circa 1680-1720 is clearly made in the Gothic Style with Gothic church window-like carvings. With Gothic style chests of this age being very rare, we were (and still are) very enthousiastic about finding it. Put together and strengthened with hand-forged, wrought iron brackets, nails AND with very large dovetails, the master carpenter provided the techniques that would guarantee the owner a chest that would last him (or her) a lifetime. As it turned out, his workmanship, in this case, created a chest that has already served some 15 generations. This heavy quality chest is made of solid elm and wrought iron only and the centuries of usage and natural aging have given this Gothic antique a patina that is simply heavenly. The striking and deeply hand-carved Gothic cathedral-like windows, but also the hand forged lock...