Late Regency Chinoiserie Penwork Box, Circa 1830

A rectangular ladies work box decorated with chinoiserie penwork designs surrounded by stylized flowers and foliage.  The top features a musician entertaining two courtly ladies in a garden scene.  The hinged top opens revealing compartments lined in blue sugar paper.  The box sits on brass ball feet.

Penwork was mostly practiced from 1815 to 1850 and is related to japanning, invented in the seventeenth century to imitate the exotic lacquer cabinets from China and Japan that were very popular and very expensive.  Like needlework and other crafts of the day, it was done predominately by ladies who had time on their hands but who had artistic ability.

• English Circa 1830
• Height: 3.5" | Width:9" | Depth: 6"
• Item #7271
• Price: $1,500