Fine Antique Carved Cabinet Chest of Drawers Chinese Altar Temple Commode 18th C
An exceptional, stunning and extremely rare Chinese carved chest of drawers in wonderful antique condition. Most likely made in Northern China in the late-18th/early-19th Century, this superbly decorative and versatile eight-drawer cabinet will add knockout wow-factor as well as gorgeous colouring, superb quality and bygone Oriental splendour to any interior.
A great size for a versatile piece, whether it's used as a hallway console cabinet, a decorative living room storage piece, a dining buffet or a bedroom chest of drawers, this exceptional and historically significant commode will impress in any setting.
It's strong Mongolian and Qing Dynasty influences point to this stunning piece being made in Shanxi Province in Northern China. Traditionally crafted from reassuringly heavy, solid and wonderfully hued Elm & Cypress woods, displaying beautiful nutty-golden hues and wonderfully aged patination, this knockout chest of drawers has extremely rare and showstopping raised-relief carvings to the eight drawers.
This staggering chest of drawers would have originally had the dual-purpose uses of household/temple storage as well as its top being used as an altar for daily worship rituals. It would have been painted and there are traces of vibrant red paint still visible to the carved fronts of the drawers, with crimson lacquer still on display to the sides.
It features a fabulously hefty, mottled-lacquered top with inlaid centre above panelled sides and back. Supported by substantial legs, it has decorative lower and side aprons and eight outstanding, chunky and ornately carved drawers, each carving with its own significance, and aged brass handles with petal mounts.
It's very rare for an antique Chinese chest to have eight drawers, and the fact that each of them is carved in raised bas-relief makes this an exquisitely special piece. The eight carved drawers may signify the Eight Immortals of Taoist philosophy.
The five upper drawers feature flower motifs set in foliage; the top two drawers have large beautifully ornate lotus flowers in profile (symbolising purity and perfection), with the middle row having two lotus flowers seen from overhead (associated with enlightenment and peace) and a pomegranate (symbolising fertility). The bottom three drawers have relief carvings of animals running beneath Cypress trees; two deer (symbolising double longevity and wealth) and one ox (symbolising hard work and persistence).
All in all this is exceptional, extremely rare and versatile cabinet, which will add exquisite decorative charm, gorgeous colouring and jaw-dropping historic quality to any setting.
CONDITION
This is in very-good-to-excellent antique condition, especially for its considerable age of over two centuries old. Wonderfully constructed of reassuringly heavy, solid wood, it is structurally sound and built to last using traditional joinery. It has to-be-expected minor marks and bumps but overall is a simply incredible piece of Chinese history in really wonderful antique condition and if well looked after it should be just as gorgeous, functional and magnificent in another 200-250 years - please see the photos.
MEASUREMENTS
Height - 84cm, Width - 99.5cm, Depth - 52cm, Top Depth - 3.5cm, Top Drawers Internal - H17xL35xW26cm, Middle Drawers Internal - H12xL39xW16cm, Lower Drawers Internal - H 19xL39xW16cm, Est Weight - 40-60kg.
DELIVERY
UK mainland delivery price quoted, or collect from Warwick UK. Please CONTACT US FOR INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY QUOTES with your postcode/zipcode - the current International delivery quote is just a place-holder.
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