Chinese Jewelry Box in Mother-of-Pearl and Lacquered Wood

Description

Chinese jewelry box mother-of-pearl inlay stands among the most refined expressions of Chinese lacquerwork: a tradition in which craftspeople cut and fit shell fragments into lacquered wood with a precision that has defined luxury objects across centuries.

The technique of inlaying mother-of-pearl into lacquered surfaces, known in Chinese as luodian, traces to the Tang dynasty, with significant regional workshops established in Fuzhou, Yangzhou, and Beijing during the Qing period. Lacquer application requires multiple coats, each dried and polished before the next is laid down. Shell material, sourced from freshwater and marine mollusks, is hand-cut into fragments and pressed into the wet lacquer surface. A final clear coat seals the inlay flush with the surrounding field.

The box measures approximately 20cm wide by 13cm deep by 9cm tall, with a hinged lid and a felt-lined interior divided by a central tray and two side compartments. The exterior lacquer presents in deep red or black, depending on the piece, with mother-of-pearl inlay forming a pattern of flowers, birds, or landscape scenes across the lid and sides. The wood base is dense and solid; hinges are brass. Total weight sits at approximately 400-500 grams.

Chinese jewelry box. Materials: lacquered wood, hand-inlaid mother-of-pearl shell. Dimensions: approximately 20cm x 13cm x 9cm. Interior: felt-lined, divided compartments, hinged lid. Hardware: brass hinges. Technique: luodian lacquerwork. Origin: China. Category: jewelry storage box.

A craft tradition spanning centuries. Each piece produced by hand, inlay by inlay. An object that outlasts its contents.