Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Sideboards This very unusual Teak Chest

This very unusual Teak Chest From South India has the original floral paint which is coloured using cinnabar or vermillion and other natural mineral pigments

this piece would also make a totally unique kitchen decoration

1930 -  The Lid shows signs of wear from daily use

Altar Table - Cypress wood -19thC Altar tables were used for ancestor worship in China

Date: Taishō Period (1912–1926)

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Sideboards This very unusual Teak ChestThis old painted Opera Chest depicts traditional Chinese scenes of birds amongst flowers, flanked by windowed scenes of opera actors wearing traditional Chinese garb. Opera chests, including this one, are constructed from paulownia wood (tong mu ) paulownia trees were often planted at the birth of a daughter and were considered symbols of prosperity, fertility & marital bliss. Upon reaching maturity the tree would be crafted into furniture and given