Chinese Apothecary Cabinet with 4 Drawers

Four drawers wearing a patchwork of orange paper labels, with ink still legible.

This apothecary cabinet with 4 drawers is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is lacquered elm wood & paper. 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. Black-brown chest of four wide drawers, each studded with ring pulls. Rows of orange-red slips with painted characters cover the fronts, peeled and worn in places. A deep stepped plinth runs across the base. It is 24 inches long, 12.5 deep and 24.5 high.

Every drawer insists on being clearly labeled.