Lot 3 , A late 17th century Chinese black lacquer cabinet, overall H. 5ft 3in.

A late 17th century Chinese black lacquer cabinet, fitted with one long and nineteen lacquer fronted drawers (in sizes) enclosed by a pair of doors, finely inlaid with raden (mother o'pearl), depicting warriors in battle, with an engraved brass escutcheon and hinge plates, W.3ft 2.5in. D.1ft 9in. H.2ft 8in., raised on a mid 18th century black and parcel gilt lacquer stand, overall H. 5ft 3in.
Estimate £4,000-6,000

The cabinet probably emanates from the Chinese Ryukyu Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, where the lacquer ware is typified by the use of inlaid seashells


The very top of the cabinet is heavily scuffed with small patches of flaking in places and a slight lifting bubble of veneer? centre left, the cabinet is decorated all around and the varnish has become opaque and crystalline in many areas starting with the very back panel which has a design of a prunus tree, there are a few restored scrapes or cracks to the black ground with old filler repairs and there are some flake losses to the upright edges with the carcass wood showing in a couple of areas, the left side panel has a few small flakes from the top edge and a few old fillers repairs and the same on the far edge as adjoining the back panel, there are some slight losses to the lacquer around the handles caused by indentations and losses to the mother of pearl inlay to the three figures of riders beneath, the left hand door of the cabinet has slight crack and tiny losses top just right of centre and a few old repairs to the loss of lacquer along the very bottom edge, the right hand door has some larger losses to the lacquer along the top edge and the left hand edge where there has been old filler repair and some of the scattered mother of pearl inlay has been restored maybe not even in true inlay, a few small losses to the mother of pearl inlay on some of the rider figures, the hinges on the cabinet doors generally good, some slight bending to the brass, the right hand side panel has some slight restorations and flakes to the very top edge and again some losses to the mother of pearl inlay on the figures beneath the handle, slight old restoration around the handles, the scroll shaped apron stand has matching inlay and gilt so is probably original to the cabinet and has some losses and restoration around all of the edges and it is possible that the strip of wood which the apron stand sits on are original or certainly of some age, from underneath the carcass wood for the base panel is a pine softwood which is definitely very dry as is the shaped apron and the part on which it sits, there are some unusual sort of rectangular slots in the timber underneath. Inside as one would expect the decoration is very bright, there are a few minor splits and touching up to the drawers, occasional minor flake around the edge of some of the drawers and the inside of both doors has a few cracks where there has been movement in the carcass wood, the lower bolt on the inside of the left door appears original but the upper one is definitely a Georgian replacement, it is also highly likely that the lock is a Georgian replacement as is probably the vertical dividing bar between the doors. We believe that the ebonised and gilt decorated stand is probably period mid 18th century as the joints are mortice and tenoned with dows on the corners although it is possible that the decoration on the stand has been redone although it has definitely got some significant age to it, the stand has a few areas of flaking with gesso showing through and occasionally the wood beneath particularly on the claws. One of the metal mounts on the bottom right hand corner of the cabinet is split and standing slightly proud and on the stand the rear left leg has split at the joint slightly with some loss of decoration around the area.


Descriptions provided in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Interested bidders are strongly encouraged to request a condition report on any lots upon which they intend to bid, prior to placing a bid. All transactions are governed by Gorringes Conditions of Sale.

Sold for £4,000