Not currently on display at the V&A

Box

1500 - 1700 (made)
Place of origin

Shallow box with hinged lid. The exterior surfaces of the box are covered in a mottled black and brown coloured lacuqer. The mottling has occured as a result of a number of relacquerings, some of which have covered the mother-of-pearl in places. The top and four sides are adorned with inlaid pieces of mother-of-pearl in a design of lotus scrolls interspresed with birds in flight. The underside of the box is covered with plain black lacquerwhilst the interior is covered with plain red lacquer.
All the metal fittings are made of brass. They consist of a lock plate and two hinge plates held on by pins and decorated with incised flowers. The four corners of the lid and the box itself are strengthened by strips of brass which terminate in rosettes.
Formerly in the FIggess collection, the box was donated to the museum by Sir John Figgess, who chaired the Samsung gallery of Korean art advisory committee prior to the gallery opening in 1992.

Colour: Brown and black


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Box
  • Storage Box
Materials and techniques
Physical description
Shallow box with hinged lid. The exterior surfaces of the box are covered in a mottled black and brown coloured lacuqer. The mottling has occured as a result of a number of relacquerings, some of which have covered the mother-of-pearl in places. The top and four sides are adorned with inlaid pieces of mother-of-pearl in a design of lotus scrolls interspresed with birds in flight. The underside of the box is covered with plain black lacquerwhilst the interior is covered with plain red lacquer.
All the metal fittings are made of brass. They consist of a lock plate and two hinge plates held on by pins and decorated with incised flowers. The four corners of the lid and the box itself are strengthened by strips of brass which terminate in rosettes.
Formerly in the FIggess collection, the box was donated to the museum by Sir John Figgess, who chaired the Samsung gallery of Korean art advisory committee prior to the gallery opening in 1992.

Colour: Brown and black
Dimensions
  • Height: 3cm
  • Width: 25.2cm
  • Depth: 14.7cm
Style
Credit line
Given by Sir John and Lady Figgess
Bibliographic reference
Garner, Harry (1979) Chinese Lacquer, London-Boston: Faber and Faber, p. 230, pl. 176
Collection
Accession number
FE.545-1992

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Record createdApril 5, 2000
Record URL
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