Monumental Antique Chinese Lacquered Octagonal Stacking Wedding Basket Box Tiffin 32"

Description

Antique Chinese six tiered octagon shaped wedding basket or box. Made of lacquered wood, bound in iron, with cranes, dragons and fish motif.

Festive red stacking lacquer boxes are used for carrying food during the wedding procession of the bride. Usually there are two sets of boxes to balance each on the end of the pole. The top box serves as a lid for the bottom box and has a lid of its own. All are beautifully painted in red for good luck.

The tradition of Chinese wedding boxes goes back 1,000 years. Before the ceremony, the bride’s family would conspicuously display the boxes. Before the Yuan Dynasty, the wooden boxes were painted and decorated with lacquer. After 1279, the boxes were often painted leather. As time passed, the boxes became increasingly more ornate.

Condition

Good antique condition, light wear and distressing commensurate with age and use.

Dimensions

21" x 21" x 32"h