Red Lacquer Chinese Sideboard From Dongbei - Ca 1930

This original Chinese red lacquered sideboard dates from the 1920s and originates from Dongbei, the historic name for Northeast China, including the region formerly known as Manchuria. The name literally means “East-North”, from dōng (east) and běi (north).

The cabinet has a wonderfully warm, time-worn red lacquer surface, decorated throughout with delicate gold-painted panels. These depict an assortment of auspicious and decorative subjects, including vases and pots filled with flowers and plants, flowering branches and insects. Years of use have softened and worn the decoration, leaving traces of gold against the rich red ground and creating a particularly attractive patina.

Furniture of this form could be used in connection with the household ancestral shrine. An ancestor portrait might be displayed above, with offerings and incense placed upon the broad top as part of rituals honouring the family’s ancestors and seeking their continued protection and wellbeing.

Four panelled doors open outwards on substantial brass hinges, with a large central brass lock plate providing a strong decorative focal point. Inside is a generous storage area divided by removable shelving, making the sideboard highly practical for contemporary use.

A beautiful combination of decorative surface, simple proportions and practical storage, this is a particularly characterful piece of early 20th-century Chinese furniture.

• Origin: Dongbei (Northeast China / Manchuria)
• Date: 1920s
• Materials: Wood, red lacquer, gilt-painted decoration and brass fittings
• Features: Four outward-opening doors; original-style brass fittings; gold-painted floral, vase, plant and insect motifs; large interior storage space with removable shelving
• Condition: Antique condition with wear, rubbing and losses to the lacquer and painted decoration consistent with age and use
• Dimensions: W157 × D42 × H94 cm
• Weight: 42 kg