Burmese Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

This large antique book cabinet was made from solid teak wood and dates to the early 1900's. During the British Empire in India and Burma much fu...

This open antique bookshelf was made from solid teak wood and dates to the 19th Century. During the British Empire in India and Burma much furniture...

This large antique book cabinet was made from solid teak wood, lacquered black and dates to the early 1900's. During the British Empire in India ...

This open large antique book cabinet was made from solid teak wood and dates to the 19th Century. During the British Empire in India and Burma mu...

This large antique book cabinet was made from solid teak wood and dates to the early 1900's. During the British Empire in India and Burma much fu...

A tall British Colonial teak wood storage cabinet with glass doors,c. 1920. This sturdy antique display cabinet features a crown and a tall case with pair of three-panel front doors, set with glass. This piece is made of teak wood, which has developed a beautiful patina over many decades of use. The piece has great presence, despite its modest scale. During the British Empire, a huge quantity of furniture was made in India and Burma in the Anglo-Indian style using superior native hardwoods and skilled local craftsmen. Styles closely matched European-made furniture of the period, but colonial pieces tended to be much sturdier, heavier and more beautiful. Since teak wood is naturally resistant to insects and moisture, a surprisingly large amount of colonial furniture has survived, especially in Myanmar (formerly Burma). This piece has been lightly restored, with some added surface stain and a waxed finish. The glass panes are new. In modern homes these cabinets are ideal for books and displaying artifacts and curiosities. Colonial bookcases also make excellent kitchen pantries, trophy cases...

This solid teak bookcase was made around 1900 AD in Rangoon, Burma in the classic British style. We call these impressive pieces by different names; "British Colonial" , "Anglo-Indian" or even "British Raj" but they all refer to the superb solid wood furniture that was made from the early 1800's's to the 1960's in the former British colonies in Asia. During the British Empire in India and Burma (also known as the British Raj) much furniture was made according to British designs, substituting far superior native hardwoods like teak and rosewood for European ones. Teak had the added benefit of repelling insects and moisture, so it was very good for storage cabinets. For protection of books and documents, it was ideal as the subtle teak scent drove away moths as well as termites. After independence, many bookcases became mercantile cabinets, ideal for displaying imported boxed goods and keeping the packaging free of dust. This piece has been lovingly restored. All drawers and doors operate smoothly and handles have been cleaned. The piece has been re-stained and waxed and is ready for many more years of use. The piece has several distinctive features; first, the style is British but the construction technique is actually more Chinese, which is extraordinary. Most likely, the workshop that made it had access to immigrant Chinese carpenters. The mortise-and-tenon joinery is exquisite. Second, the mullions dividing the glass panes are sharply chiseled, giving the cabinet a more refined appearance than we expect from colonial pieces. Finally, the flush brass campaign pulls on the lower drawers add zest and style. Like most colonial bookcases, it comes in two easily separable parts. The piece is exceptionally well-proportioned and blends easily with modern decor. Just add old books, rare artifacts...

This solid teak bookcase was made in a modern, simple style in Rangoon, Burma, near the very end of the British Empire. We call these pieces by different names; "mid-century", art ...

This monumental British book cabinet was made from solid Teak wood and dates to the early 1900's. During the late British Empire in India and Burma much furniture was made in the Ang...

A superb decorative antique Burmese (modern-day Myanmar) hand carved serpentine two door cabinet/sideboard. Circa 1880. The cabinet is of small proportions and profusely hand carv...

This impressively-scaled book cabinet was made from solid Teak wood and dates to the 1940's. During the late British empire in India and Burma much furniture was made in the Art Deco...

Vintage Teak Actors Chest from Burma. Early to Mid-20th Century This chest traditionally would have been used by an actor in a traveling troop of performers, to store costumes, acce...