Antique Japanese Lacquered and Marquetry Jewelry Cabinet and Stand (1840s)
Note: We will be consulting an auction house on this piece but let us know if you are interested in it.
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This family heirloom comes from our father’s side of the family, unlike most things on this website. We believe it was brought over from Japan in the 1840s by our grandfather’s grandfather who was the skipper of a clipper ship (see note below), and eventually inherited by our grandfather’s sister, nicknamed ‘Dodo’, an American who married an Italian count. She must have passed it on to our parents later in life.
It features beautiful marquetry (the art of using different veneers of wood to create images) and parquetry (the art of applying strips of wood to create geometric shapes), as well as masterful lacquer designs.
The shape of the cabinet is striking itself, and very unusual (only one comparable found online, sold at auction some years ago).
The raised lacquer images on the front panels feature what we believe are a female peacock on the left reaching for some food and a male peacock with tail looking over its shoulder at the viewer. (In our research it was common for these works to portray ‘couples’ or romantic imagery on the front.)
On the bottom drawer, we believe there is a maker's mark. We also suspect the maker had a thing for bats, as evidenced by the bat parquetry on the bottom left side drawer (see photos) as no other drawer has such imagery, only geometric designs.
The front doors open to reveal a set of six drawers. On either side are five drawers, the larger bottom drawers fitted with a lock (keys not available). A large drawer sits beneath the front doors and another one on top, which opens to reveal raised lacquer art portraying a bird on a branch. In the upper drawer, an insert has partitions allowing for seven pockets for jewelry or other items, and two long lidded compartments along the side. Underneath the insert was additional space for storing valuables. The handles and fittings may be silver or another metal. The handles are in Yamashina (from Kyoto) or Mokko shape.
All drawers are lacquered black inside, one with minor chipping of the lacquer on the back edge. There are locks on several drawers but no keys. There are a few broken bits (pieces held in drawers in case someone one day can restore them). In photos we show an upper corner showing a broken fitting and loose wood section, a crack along the right side of the lid to the top compartment, and a few other ‘issues’. The base of the chest and the stand both are weathered with age, some lacquer peeling or chipped off.
The note inside calls it ‘Dodo’s Chest’ referencing the Countessa Dorothy Bonin-Longare, the sister of our grandfather who married an Italian count. “Aunt Mable Chandler brought from the Orient for layette for child expected who was Mabel Goldstream Chandler. Father = William Sylvester Chandler (Bud’s Grandpa) 1st mate on clipper ships, lived in SF in Mission District. 1846 – arrived in SF. Mabel’s ma from Australia = Catherine Cumerford Chandler. William, Kitty, Hazel, Mable, Catherine.”
A sticker on the back shows it was at some point moved from or to New York City before ending up in California with our mother.
Stand H 22 ¼” including rim to secure chest x L 24” x D 13 1/2”
Chest H 27” x L 32 ½” x D 13”
As a Set H 49” x L 32 ½” x D 13 ½”
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.