Set of antique Chinese nesting black Laquer Coromandel boxes 1900-40

Description

julietjonesvintage
Store
From the estate of a life-long collector of all things Chinese comes this set of nesting boxes. Each is made of black lacquer with inset Chinese figures, posed to surely depict some allegory or folklore. The inset figures are made up of mother of pearl, coral, some brown stone and a white bone type material. The background is colored in a bronze -type paint. The pieces have some age related wear, the edges of the bottoms are chipped in places revealing the underlying material and there is a chip to the front top of the top box. Otherwise the boxes are sound and a treasure from the old China. I believe that they date to the early part of the 20
th
century or possibly the last part of the 19
th
century.
There is a faint chop on the inside of the top and second cover of the boxes.
The lacquer techniques for Coromandel goods (mostly screens), known as kuancai (literally "incised colors"), emerged during the late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and were applied to folding screens to create dark screens incised, painted, and inlaid with decorative mother-of-pearl, coral, or other materials. Up to thirty layers of lacquer could be used. Each layer could have pictures and patterns incised, painted, and inlaid, and this created a design standing out against a dark background. The screens were made in China and appeared in Europe during the late 17th century. The name refers to the Coromandel Coast in India where screens and other furnishings from China were loaded onto ships carrying goods to Europe.
Measurements are: 12 ½ cm square and 6 ½ cm high, 10.3 cm by 5.3 cm and 8.2 cm by 4.1 cm.Free expedited domestic shipping.