Chinese Flame Cabinet with 4 Drawers & 2 Doors

Cabinet that has lost most of its paint and kept every bit of its charm.

This flame cabinet with 4 drawers & 2 doors is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is lacquered pine wood. During the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, a great deal of antique Chinese furniture was burned, confiscated or scattered, which the article says helped start the scarcity of such pieces. The sides taper slightly inward, and heavy bulbous feet anchor it. Two doors with a large round metal plate sit above four small drawers with dark pulls. Faint traces of red and cream paint cling to a bare, sun-bleached surface. It is 39.5 inches long, 18 deep and 52 high.

Faded, scuffed and entirely at peace with it.