Lacquer Boxes

A refined collection of Oriental lacquer boxes from China, Japan, Burma and India — uniting centuries-old lacquer craftsmanship across Asia. From Qing-dynasty cinnabar boxes to Japanese maki-e, Burmese betel boxes and Indian lacquer boxes from Rajasthan, each work reflects the artistry, symbolism and cultural diversity of the lacquer tradition.

Chinese Lacquer Tradition

Chinese lacquerware has been admired for millennia, crafted from the sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree. Layers of polished lacquer were built up over carved wood or metal, then incised, gilded or coloured with cinnabar and gold dust. These Qing and Ming-style boxes often depict dragons, peonies and auspicious motifs — symbols of longevity and prosperity.

Japanese Maki-e & Urushi

In Japan, the maki-e technique elevated lacquer into a fine art, using gold or silver powder sprinkled onto wet lacquer to create shimmering imagery. From Edo-period inro and writing boxes to 20th-century urushi work, these pieces embody precision, restraint and quiet beauty.

Burmese & Indian Lacquerwork

In Burma, known today as Myanmar, lacquerware or Yun-de developed in Bagan and Mandalay, distinguished by red and black incised decoration and bamboo or teak forms. Across western India, particularly Rajasthan, artisans produced painted and lacquered boxes adorned with vivid pigments and mirror inlay. Both traditions fuse utility with ornament, creating pieces that feel alive with colour, pattern and ritual purpose.

Care & Restoration

Each lacquer box is individually restored by hand in our Wiltshire workshops, preserving surface depth, lustre and original patina. Whether displayed within a cabinet or used for jewellery, stationery or keepsakes, these works bring texture, history and quiet refinement to any interior.

A Dialogue of Craft

This collection complements our Painted & Lacquered Indian Decor — contrasting the disciplined polish of East and Southeast Asia with the folk vibrancy of India. Together they form a rich panorama of Asian lacquer artistry — a shared heritage of patience, precision and beauty.