Japanese Painted Fall Front Bureau with Mother of Pearl Decoration
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Fall Front - Furniture with a hinged flap, usually associated with desks and secretaires, that opens or 'falls' to provide a flat writing surface. The flap may be supported by chains or brass quadrants and rest on wooden supports or runners, known as lopers, that pull out from a recess in either side of the piece. The interior of a fall-front desk is usually fitted with small drawers and pigeonholes.
- 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.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
Chinese black lacquer box, decorated with warriors
Chinese black lacquer blanket box, beautifully decorated with Chrysanthemum and birds, accented with shou motifs, with brass locking mechanism
An Anglo Indian sadeli mosaic work box (AF), late 19th century, with interior mirror and lift out tray with turned ivory ink, pots, ivory lidded compartments, cotton reel holders, etc.
Very rare 17th century leather bound dome topped travelling trunk, with Royal cipher studded front, carry handles to the sides, covered in possibly ox-hide or Russian leather, the cipher indicates a possible use from the court of Charles II, circa 1660's.