Georgian-earliest Victorian era penwork sewing box, jewelry chest, casket. c. 1770-1830s, British. Fabulous one, Chinoise, exotic scenes with camel procession, pagoda and elaborately beautiful florals, motifs creating broad borders. They are ink painted, "penwork" on thin board of maple or sycamore (light wood). . Elaborate works of art, we think of these as women's art, as most face screens were crafted, embroidered, beaded by women. A stunning museum quality table box, entirely hand painted in ink over maple or other light wood, a light varnish. Chinoise landscape with gorgeous painted borders on the sarcophagus-form chest. Lift-out paper-covered wood tray. Full measurements noted on photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, I think perhaps there were once carved or cast metal feet, but those have been lost or removed at some time. I'm not positive it was planed this way, but I would think it would have originally matched the border outline across the bottom of the screen. Shown from all sides, you can see there has been a woodworm issue with the wood at some point in time, but likely more than 100 years ago. Nothing active, and no pith areas, no dust dropping, and no visible holes from interior. Handles are affixed at each side, have ring-hinged holds and lion heads, and are undamaged. Escutcheon and the top lock plate remain, but the body of the lock is missing at listing time. Gorgeous for display, or to use.
