Provincial Scrolled Coffer

This provincial altar coffer from the mid-19th century is beautifully designed with inset panels, bold carvings, and a fantastic, richly aged patina. Given its large scale and expansive table top, the coffer was likely used as a family altar for ancestor worship in the home, used as a surface for ancestral tablets, offerings, and incense. Such cabinets were also used to store infrequently used household goods.

The cabinet front is decorated with simple carved detail, including beaded edging, scalloped aprons, and large spiral-form spandrels intended as clouds or lingzhi fungus. The exterior was originally finished with dark black lacquer, now well-worn to reveal the warm coloring and textured grain of the elmwood construction. Ideal as a sideboard or buffet, the coffer has five shallow drawers and opens to a spacious interior with a single shelf.