Chinese Lidded Box with Handles

Red as a lacquered door and just as private.

This lidded box was made in Shanxi Province, China, in leather in the 19th century. Leather-covered boxes were commonly used in northern China for storing clothing, documents and valuables, sometimes carried on trips. The box is square-edged and low, covered in a vivid orange-red finish with soft rubbing and darker marks across the lid. A brass hasp with a round plate fastens at the front. The finish has mellowed unevenly, which gives it a lived-in look.

About 29 inches wide and 19 deep. A coffee table that hides things.