Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19thC Tansu At the top of the

At the top of the door

this brass trinket box features intricate camel bone inlay and a sleek polished brass interior

on the top row

The design was also popular in surrounding areas of North China

This chair unusually has metal lizards inset into it and is carved from a single piece of wood with a beautiful patina

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19thC Tansu At the top of theThis vintage painted Chinese elm trunk is known as an Opera Chest and originates from Shanxi Province and dates from the late 19th century. Whilst most chests of this style are decorated with operatic scenes, this one is instead decorated with floral and bird scenes, framed by windowed scenes of elders in traditional Chinese clothing. Chests of this style are constructed from paulownia wood (tong mu ) Paulownia trees were often planted at the birth of