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Overview
A folding corner wall shelf in black lacquer, decorated in gold with figure scenes on both back panels. On one panel, a standing man faces a kneeling woman and a shaven-headed child on a tiled floor, with a small dog on a low stand, bamboo and a hanging lantern behind them. On the other, women with tall pinned hairstyles and long robes stand on a veranda beside a lattice window and flowering plants, one holding a round fan. Each scene sits in a shaped panel framed by dense gold diaper and fret borders, flower roundels and a knot roundel, and each tapering lower point shows a single figure. The faces and hands are picked out in white, and the gold ranges from pale yellow to deep orange-gold. The shelf has a scalloped front edge with a gold rim. It suits the corner of a sitting room, hallway or study, or a display of Asian decorative arts.
Background
Folding lacquer corner shelves like this were made in Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912) for sale to Western buyers, and similar shelves were also made in England and France in the Japanese taste. The women's hairstyles and robes point to Japanese export work, circa 1880-1910. This shelf is unmarked. It is made of lacquered papier-mâché (pressed paper): the chipped edges show thin, layered material with no wood grain, which also explains its very light weight. Two shaped back panels are joined by small brass hinges, with the shelf hinged between them so the piece folds flat, and there is a mounting hole in each back panel. It hangs as a corner bracket, with the shelf at the top and the decorated panels tapering to a point below, as in the first photo. Several of the other photos show it resting upside down on a table.
Condition
Fair antique condition with wear throughout. There are chips and small losses along the shaped edges and points, including a larger chip at one lower back corner beside a hinge that shows the pressed paper underneath. The lacquer has scratches, scuffs and fine crazing, with rubbing to the gold in places, and the shelf surface is scratched with wear to its gold rim. The hinges are present and show age. It has not been weight tested, so it is best for light display pieces. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
The shelf measures 11 x 9.5 x 7.5 inches (H x W x D) when set up as a corner shelf. It weighs 11.6 oz.
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
