Painted Gansu Grain Store Sideboard - 19th Century

This 19th century painted grain store sideboard originates from Gansu Province in north-western China, where it would have served the nomadic communities of Gansu and neighbouring northern Shanxi. Originally designed for storing grain, clothing and other household provisions, cabinets of this type were also used as domestic altar cabinets, displaying ancestral tablets and treasured objects during family ceremonies.

This cabinet has been sympathetically adapted for modern living. Originally, it would have been accessed via a hinged hatch in the top, with the front remaining closed. At some point in its history, the front was expertly converted into a pair of cupboard doors, creating a far more practical storage cabinet while retaining the character of the original piece. The circular marks where the original locking plates were once fitted remain visible, providing an honest record of its evolution.

The original painted decoration has survived remarkably well. Each door is centred with a finely painted panel depicting an arrangement of auspicious scholar's objects, including elegant vases, flowering branches, scrolls and other treasured possessions associated with learning, refinement and good fortune. These symbolic compositions were intended to bring prosperity, wisdom and harmony to the household.

Internally, the cabinet is divided into two storage compartments with newly added removable shelves, making it exceptionally versatile for contemporary use. Combined with its rich patina, original painted finish and understated proportions, this is a beautifully authentic piece that works equally well as a sideboard, media unit or hallway cabinet.

• Origin: Gansu Province, China
• Date: 19th Century
• Materials: Painted wood
• Features: Original hand-painted scholar's objects, sympathetically converted front-opening doors, two storage compartments, removable shelves, original iron ring pulls
• Condition: Good antique condition with age-related wear, rubbing and losses to the original painted decoration. Front altered historically from a top-opening grain store to front-opening cupboard doors.
• Dimensions: W161 x D45 x H83 cm
• Weight: 54 kg