Japanese Tansu Chest with Marquetry and Mother-of-Pearl Inlay
Japanese Tansu chest, decorated with geometric wood marquetry, opening top above pair of panelled Mother-of-pearl inlaid doors enclosing a fitted interior, above a single long drawer (A/F), height 18.50 in. width 17.32 in. depth 10.24 in. Provenance: The Estate of Diana Kemp, NSW
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- 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. - A/f, as Inspected - The letters "A/F" or "as inspected" as part of a description is the cataloguer's shorthand for "all faults" or "as found", meaning the item has some type of damage or deficiency, it is of uncertain date or provenance, and/or that the seller takes no responsibility for the completeness of the item or the accuracy of the description.
This item has been included into following indexes:
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Japanese furniture, item types
- chests and trunks 105
- chests, tansu 124
