Chinese Lacquer Box with Inlays late 19th Century

An octagonal Chinese lacquer box with a design of beauty in the garden with an attendant made from carved and inlaid stones and bones.

An octagonal box with a matching lid that was made from wood and then covered in gesso. The box was then coated in black lacquer inside and out. The lid was inlaid with minutely carved bone and soapstone. Bone was used for accents such as the magnolia flowers in the tree, faces, and robes. The beauty wears a mother-of-pearl hat and there is a mother-of-pearl stone by her chair. The bone on the beauty’s robe is dyed red.

There are no marks or labels.

MEASUREMENTS
6 ¾” (17.1 cm) tall x 5” (12.7 cm) wide x 3 1/4” (8.3 cm) thick. Weighs 13.0 oz (370 g)

CONDITION
There is a piece of inlay missing on the ground under the attendant, as well as possibly a tiny piece under the attendant’s face. There are losses to the lacquer on the inner lid flange edges and small lacquer losses to the edge of the base. There is wear on the base from being moved on a surface for many years.

A decorative, hand-worked old lacquer box that will add to many decors.