Chinese Scroll Box with Sliding Lid

Thin, long and sober, this lidded box keeps its secrets flat.

This zitan scroll box with a sliding lid is from Southern China, and dates to the 20th century. Southern China has a long woodworking tradition, with cabinetmakers producing furniture and boxes in hardwoods that take a deep polish. Featured is a stretched, shallow case in dark brown with square corners. The cover slides along grooves, and a small lip projects at the left end. The surface is smooth, with faint marks of handling along the edges.

Plain as a ruler and just as particular.