Lacquer Cabinets – China Trade Furniture

We are a matching pair of red lacquer, two-door cabinets standing on four-legged bases. Our history is interesting. The period from the end of the American Revolutionary War (1783) to the Treaty of Wanghia (1844) marked the beginning of closer relations between the United States and East Asia. We were created in China in 1820 as part of the early commerce between the Qing Empire and the United States, referred to as the Old China Trade.

Mary Hulton Phillips, Founder of The Maridon Museum, discovered us in 1982 and gave us a home in her living room.  We housed many interesting miniature sculptures (Netsukes) she had collected. Today we are an impressive pair sitting in the Side Gallery. One of our doors is open for you to see the tiny snuff bottles tucked inside. A cabinet exhibiting a beautiful collection of snuff bottles is one of our companions in that gallery. We are temporarily closed to the public, but we hope you will come in to visit as soon as we open our doors again.