Chinese Wood Compound Cabinet

Dark carved doors and polished brass fittings give this two-tier cabinet a serious face.

This compound cabinet is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the mid 19th century. It is rose wood. Many Chinese antiques are now returning to China through auction houses and foreign dealers, as Chinese buyers actively purchase older pieces back, which the article describes as reclaiming their heritage. The form is a tall cabinet in two stages, with all four doors carved in dense relief with circular patterns and figures. Pale metal hinges and lock plates frame each pair. A carved band runs across the base. It is 59.5 inches long, 19.25 deep and 104.5 high.

Every surface busy, every brass plate polished.