Original price
GBP £ 1845
Converted price
Description
DeepL TranslateDongbei, circa 1900
This beautifully decorated sideboard is finished in a rich red lacquer and embellished with finely painted gilt panels, typical of furniture produced in northeastern China during the late Qing period. The warm lacquer surface has aged gracefully, showing a soft patina that highlights the cabinet’s history and craftsmanship.
The four front doors are arranged in framed panels, each intricately painted with scenes of birds among flowering branches. These motifs are highly symbolic in Chinese decorative arts, with pheasants representing good fortune, peonies denoting high rank and honour, bamboo stalks symbolising resilience and fruit branches signfiying abundance and prosperity.
The lower apron is beautifully detailed with larger peony sprays, butterflies and fish. The butterfly is traditionally associated with joy and marital happiness, while fish (yú 魚) symbolise abundance - the word being a homophone for “surplus”. Together, these various motifs form a visual blessing for prosperity and harmony within the home.
Fine geometric borders in gold outline the panels, complementing the original brass hardware at the centre. The shaped lock plate and hinges retain an appealing aged patina, perfectly complementing the aged gold decoration and adding further character to the piece. Originally, the sideboard had only the two central doors, with fixed panels on either side. However, these outer panels have been adapted to add additional doors, hinged on wooden dowels, to provide full access to the interior. The center post can also be removed for convenience.
Sideboards of this style were commonly found in well-to-do northern Chinese homes, used for storing clothing, tableware or valuables and also to display ancestor offerings. The quality of the painting, joinery and lacquerwork reflects the skilled artisanship of regional workshops active in the late nineteenth century.
Today the cabinet is both practical and decorative, offering generous storage in a striking antique form and with a rich colour palette. It would work beautifully in a dining room, hallway or living space, where its warm colour and hand-painted detail could be fully appreciated. Whether used for tableware or everyday household items, it would bring a vibrant touch of Chinese tradition to any interior.
Last updated: 26/11/25
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