Chinese Large Scale Document Box on Stand

Long black chest with a flat lid and a quiet attitude.

This large scale document box on stand is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the late 19th century. It is lacquered elm wood. As original period furniture became harder to find, restoration artists began salvaging fragments from incomplete pieces to make complete ones, and eventually full reproductions began to surface. Low rectangular chest in dark brown-black lacquer with a plain front and a flat, lightly worn top. It stands on a stepped base with short block feet. The finish is aged and uneven, with small chips along the edges. It is 62.5 inches long, 14 deep and 23.5 high.

Offers no hints about what it keeps inside.