The cabinet, designed in the Cantonese manner, is incised and japanned in polychrome on a black ground in imitation of 17th Century 'Coromandel' or 'Bantam' lacquer. The façade, representing an audience with musicians playing in a Chinese garden, is flanked by vases displaying sacred rocks and exotic birds perched in flowering shrubs, while similar vases, accompanied by precious objects, birds and insects decorate the door interiors. John Stalker and George Parker devoted a section of their Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing, 1688 to the manner of imitating 'Bantam-work' and the making of such 'Raised work in imitation of Japan, and of the Paste'. Skilled practitioneers in this art were employed by Gerrit Jensen (d.1715) of St. Martin's Lane, who provided the japanned pier-set of table, mirror and stands that King Charles II presented in 1680 to the Emperor of Morocco. He may also have provided the 'Bantam' work dressing-table that furnished the Duke of Lauderdale's state apartment at Ham House, Surrey in the 1670's (J. Hardy, 'Western Japanning 1670-1770', Lacquerwork in Asia and Beyond, Colloquies on Art and Archaeology in Asia, no.11, London, 1981, p.161 and pl.3a). A related cabinet, fitted with this arrangement of drawers, is illustrated in H. Huth, Lacquer of the West,, London, 1951, fig.55), while another with closely-related decoration from the collection of William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme (d.1925) was sold at The Anderson Galleries, New York, February 1926, lot 415.