Japanese Tansu Chest with Marquetry and Mother-of-Pearl Inlay

Japanese Tansu chest, decorated with geometric wood marquetry,…
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Japanese Tansu chest, decorated with geometric wood marquetry, opening top above pair of panelled Mother-of-pearl inlaid doors enclosing a fitted interior, above a single long drawer (A/F), height 47 cm width 44 cm depth 26 cm. Provenance: The Estate of Diana Kemp, NSW

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  • A/f, as Inspected - The letters "A/F" or "as inspected" as part of a description is the cataloguer's shorthand for "all faults" or "as found", meaning the item has some type of damage or deficiency, it is of uncertain date or provenance, and/or that the seller takes no responsibility for the completeness of the item or the accuracy of the description.
  • Mother-Of-Pearl - Mother-of-pearl, technical name "nacre", is the inner layer of a sea shell. The iridescent colours and strength of this material were widely used in the nineteenth century as an inlay in jewellery, furniture, (especially papier mache furniture) and musical instruments.

    In the early 1900s it was used to make pearl buttons. Mother-of-pearl is a soft material that is easily cut or engraved.

    Nowadays it is a by-product of the oyster, freshwater pearl mussel and abalone industries.

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