
Description
A lacquered wooden humidor richly decorated in the revived Chinoiserie manner, its exterior finished in deep black japanning and finely painted with gilt rocaille scrollwork framing small figural vignettes. Each panel presents a different scene"”garden pavilions, river landings, bamboo platforms, and stylized tree-perches"”executed in a palette of gold, soft rose, celadon, and leaf green. The imagery follows the imaginative chinoiserie taste pioneered in the mid-18th century, recalling motifs after Jean-Baptiste Pillement and the lacquer traditions applied to English tea caddies and snuff boxes produced in London and provincial japanner workshops.
The hinged lid opens to a white-lined interior suitable for tobacco storage, the form and proportions corresponding closely with humidor and tobacco casket designs rather than a tea caddy, particularly in its airtight, clean interior and single-chamber layout. Although of mid-20th-century manufacture, the decorative language remains firmly rooted in 18th-century precedent, making this an evocative later homage to the lacquered cigarette and cigar boxes produced during the chinoiserie revivals of the interwar and post-war periods.
Measures: 11.625" w x 8" d x 7" h
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Minor wear commensurate with age and use.
Dimensions:
Height: 7 in.
Width: 11.62 in.
Depth: 8 in.
Category: Boxes
Origin: United Kingdom
Materials: Glass, Lacquer
Shipping:Domestic: Flat-rate of $27.00 to anywhere within the contiguous U.S. International: No International Shipping for this auction. Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding. Location: This item ships from Easton, MA
Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Chairish Auctions specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Chairish Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item.
The hinged lid opens to a white-lined interior suitable for tobacco storage, the form and proportions corresponding closely with humidor and tobacco casket designs rather than a tea caddy, particularly in its airtight, clean interior and single-chamber layout. Although of mid-20th-century manufacture, the decorative language remains firmly rooted in 18th-century precedent, making this an evocative later homage to the lacquered cigarette and cigar boxes produced during the chinoiserie revivals of the interwar and post-war periods.
Measures: 11.625" w x 8" d x 7" h
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Minor wear commensurate with age and use.
Dimensions:
Height: 7 in.
Width: 11.62 in.
Depth: 8 in.
Category: Boxes
Origin: United Kingdom
Materials: Glass, Lacquer
Shipping:
Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Chairish Auctions specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Chairish Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item.
Condition
Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Minor wear commensurate with age and use.
Buyer's Premium
20%
Chinoiserie Japanned Humidor Box England, Early to Mid-20th Century
Estimate $630-$1,880
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Spring Collected: Timeless Interiors I
May 11, 2026 4:00 PM EDTNew York, NY, United States
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