Striking Antique Burmese Red and Black Lacquer Small Betel Box

Regular price $60.00

This is a Burmese yun-it lacquerware box, and an old one, c. late 19th century.  I believe it was likely made as a small, personal betel box (kun-it); like betel boxes, the top of the box slides down over the lower half like a tight sleeve. But perhaps a spice box. I've always got an eye out for a lovely old piece of Burmese lacquerware, called yun de--immediately recognizable by their color and manner of decoration. And I think the decoration on the lid of this one, all done by hand through quite a painstaking process, is especially excellent and very modern feeling too. The box itself is bamboo. 

3 1/2" d x 1 1/2" t. Some losses around the rims and a bit of surface cracking as is typically the case with old examples like this, as documented. Overall good condition. Lid fits tightly and requires a little pressure to pull it up and off.