The In Box

As enticing as an exquisitely wrapped gift, the black-and-gold lacquered box has enchanted Westerners for centuries. In the 18th century, English actor David Garrick and his dancer wife, Eva, were part of a fashionable set of patrons who embraced chinoiserie, and in the 1960s, designer Billy Baldwin advised Americans to freshen up their interiors by replacing staid cigarette boxes with Oriental lacquered cases. Today chic designers follow the lead of history’s aesthetes by nabbing these exotic treasure chests on their travels.

“It’s a craze that never seems to die,” says designer Phoebe Howard. “I love accessorizing rooms with a variety of small antique boxes, but there is something magical and joyful about chinoiserie boxes, whether they are tea caddies, game boxes, or sewing kits. The ornamentation is whimsical, yet the boxes are timeless, and the classic combination of black with gold works everywhere, in neutral or color-filled rooms.”

In the realm of interior design, Asian-style lacquered boxes made for the Western market tend to be placed under the chinoiserie umbrella. But antiquarians and collectors make distinctions: Many antique dealers classify these gilt-decorated pieces as either Chinese export or chinoiserie. The former refers to boxes made by Chinese artisans using painstaking, centuries-old lacquering techniques. Boxes painted in the West to emulate Asian lacquerware are considered chinoiserie.

When demand for Asia’s lacquerware exceeded supply, Western artisans scrambled to make their own. A quasi lacquering technique called japanning was developed to achieve a glossy black (or red) background that could be embellished with fanciful scenes of life in the East. Labor-intensive and expensive, japanning was practiced not only by skilled craftsmen but also by talented ladies of leisure, for whom it became a fashionable pastime; unfinished boxes ready to be transformed were widely available in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

“The delightful possibilities of lacquering small boxes, cases, and containers stimulated the transformation of Chinese and Japanese pictorial elements into true chinoiserie,” writes Dawn Jacobson in Chinoiserie.

Whether decorated in the West or in the Far East, fact and fiction mingle in lush depictions of pagodas, fishermen, insects, dragons, and stylized grape leaf and Greek key patterns. In some cases, European motifs, such as family crests, coexist with Asian imagery on the same box.

For contemporary collectors who find old boxes missing their original accoutrements, such as exquisite ivory spools, needle cases, or other fittings, designer Charlotte Moss suggests new ways to enjoy them with flair. Line the inside of the box with paper and use it to hold stationery or jewelry, or fill it with pens and clips for an office or library. Place a larger box on a base with legs to do double duty as a side table. Or better still, simply tie on a pretty ribbon and use the piece as a gift box. 

 

JUST THE FACTS

Origins: Lacquer is essentially a natural resin derived from the sap of the sumac tree indigenous to Asia and has been used in Eastern decorative arts for thousands of years. Although the Japanese were historically revered for their lacquer, many boxes were acquired by Europeans through trade with the Chinese.

Western interpretations: As the fashion for all things Oriental spread across Europe, Western artisans imitated Asian lacquer with a technique known as japanning. Surface decoration depicted fantasies of life in the East. Chinoiserie, as this Western style of decoration is called, was particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Construction: Historically, light woods were used for Asian lacquerware. Japanning was also done on wood, but papier-mâché became a popular medium in Europe, particularly in the 19th century as curvier, sculpted box forms became fashionable. Shapes were based on European styles, rather than Asian forms, and were designed for Western lifestyles.

Condition: Due to the nature of painted surfaces, wear is expected to show on the tops of antique boxes. In some cases, restoration work diminishes the value.

Expect to pay: $500 to $6,000 or more, depending on the age, size, condition, rarity, quality of decoration, and complexity of form.

 

RESOURCES: Boxes from Mrs. Howard, 404/816-3830, www.phoebehoward.net. Chinoiserie (Phaidon, 1999, $35) by Dawn Jacobson. Charlotte Moss, 212/308-3888, www.charlottemoss.com.