1800s Antique Lacquer Leather Conical CHINESE HAT BOX 19th Century Qing Dynasty

  
This is a traditional late 1800s Chinese hat box. It is made of cowhide leather, hand stitched and lacquered in a dark walnut brown on the exterior of the box and lid, except the base, which is a reddish brown. There is a hat base affixed to the lighter burnt sienna interior. This box has the conical lid seen in traditional boxes of its type. It measures approximately 14.5 inches in diameter by 14.5 inches tall.

There are minor scratches in the lacquer due to its age, and there is an interesting Qing Dynasty-era wax export mark on the hinge side of the lid, as shown. The wax placement is unusual, and the box is otherwise unmarked. The base has two vented cutouts into the hat stand portion, which appears to be lacquered in place as shown.

This box and others I'll be listing are part of my father's collection. The box has been in climate controlled storage since that time. The box smells like linseed oil and leather inside. It has no other odors and shows only age related scratches and wear to the surface. The hinge and latch work fine.

Please check my photos and feel free to ask questions. I will be listing much of my dad's collection, so please see my other listings in the coming weeks.