Provincial Woven Summer Hat Box

No self-respecting man in Qing-dynasty China would leave the house without some kind of hat. In fact, headgear was so central to social status that even the containers used to store one's hat were beautifully constructed.

The conical lid of this 19th-century round hat box indicates that it was originally used to store the owner's summer hat. Finely woven of split bamboo, the festive summer hats worn by ranked officials were usually lined with a fine silk gauze and topped with a beaded finial. Expertly woven of natural materials, this hat box has a rustic feel and an even, richly aged texture. Unusual and conversation-sparking, this sculptural woven box is a fantastic collector's item and a statement addition to the home.

Deaccessioned from the MacLean Collection of Asian Art.