East Asia, China, ca. late 18th to early 19th century. A hand-built and hand-painted leather-covered camphor wood chest with wonderful brass tack double borders. The leather is painted a warm red and further embellished with floral motifs on the lid and front face. The lid is particularly attractive with an oval centerpiece of flowers delineated in creamy white and black-brown hues and surrounded by a double band of brass tacks as well as an additional band of flowers following the rectangular shape of the lid and likewise surrounded by a double band of brass tacks. At each end are twin brass handles. Size: 12.6" L x 25.2" W x 10" H (32 cm x 64 cm x 25.4 cm)
Provenance: The William F. Draper Collection, New York City, USA, acquired via descent from the late William Franklin Draper (1912-2003), an accomplished American artist whose career spanned seven decades. Known as the "Dean of American Portraiture," William Draper was the only artist to paint President John F. Kennedy from life, and his oeuvre includes marvelous landscapes from his world travels, military paintings as he was one of only seventeen Combat Artists in WWII, and portraits of illustrious individuals.
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#152879
Condition
Wear on surface commensurate with age including rich deposits and patina. Some of the leather is separating from the wood in places, notably on one corner of the lid. The interior shows some weathering and stress fracturing on the floor. Some of the brass panels are slightly pulled out or bent and some of the brass tacks on the lid are lost. Really great antique surface with much of the artwork preserved.