Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Origin - Cambodia Autumn 1992

Autumn 1992

Made from solid brass with a two-tiered container secured by a hinged frame and handle

They were auspicious symbols to bring agricultural prosperity

This is one of the best examples of the style we've seen in 45 years

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Origin - Cambodia Autumn 1992This old painted Opera Chest depicts scenes of traditional Chinese opera. This style of Chinese chest is found exclusively in Shanxi Province in Northern China and dates from the late 19th century. Opera chests, including this one, are constructed from paulownia wood (tong mu ) Paulownia trees were often planted at the birth of a daughter and were considered symbols of prosperity, fertility & marital bliss. Upon reaching maturity the tree would be