Indo-Portugese Chest From South India - 19th Century Material - Glass This Chinese flower stand dates

This Chinese flower stand dates from the 19th century and is made from red elm (zelkova)

Two batons have been added recently to the interior of the lid to stop the top splitting

but it is equally attractive displayed simply as a sculptural architectural fragment

50 x 32 x 82 (wxdxh cms)

celestial face motif

Indo-Portugese Chest From South India - 19th Century Material - Glass This Chinese flower stand datesThis is an unusual antique Indian chest, it's constructed from forest teak and is from South India. The iron hasps are shaped somewhere between an elephant & an upside down guitar. This shape of hasp is an Indian interpretation of the Portuguese designs. Trunks made from forest teak are usually quite early as many of the teak forests were replaced with teak plantations in the 19th century, leading to more practical straighter grained, more planky