Bidspirit auction | A Chinese Export Red Lacquer

A Chinese Export Red Lacquer Dressing Box Guanpixiang Late Qing Dynasty - A Chinese red lacquer vanity or dressing box, known as a guanpixiang, of rectangular form. The box is finished in a deep red lacquer and features hand-painted and gilded decoration. The top lid depicts a courtly scene with several figures in an interior garden setting, framed by a gilded foliate border. The front, sides, and drawer fronts are further embellished with gilded floral and foliate motifs. The interior of the lid and the base of the top compartment are lined with paper printed with vertical columns of Chinese characters. Recognisable characters in the printed lining include 金 (gold), 大 (big), 一 (one), and 十 (ten), appearing to be from a printed book or broadsheet used as a lining. The box is finished with ornate brass hardware, including side carrying handles on cloud-form escutcheons, corner mounts, and a frontal latch plate.