MING DYNASTY, 16TH CENTURY

Small table chests of this type, with a front panel concealing compartments of trays or small drawers, were also made in larger sizes and were known as official boxes (guanpixiang). They are more often found constructed in hardwoods, which would have been more durable for an object intended for daily use. Compare the larger, 18th-century lacquer chest from the collection of Dorothy Tapper Goldman sold at Christie’s New York, 21-22 March 2024, lot 885.

This type lacquer is often referred by the Japanese name guri lacquer. The reference is to the most common designs on these wares, which are scrolling patterns. The word guri refers to pommel scroll, which these designs are thought to resemble. The equivalent Chinese term is jianhuan or sword (pommel) scroll, but these lacquers are most often referred to in Chinese by the term tixi.