Pair of Chinese Scholars Scroll Shelves, circa 1900

Collecting was a popular pastime for well-to-do Ming and Qing dynasty gentleman, and a shelf like this one would have been an ideal place to display jades, curios, porcelain, and col...

Dated to the late 19th century, this pair of tall book cabinets was once used in a scholars' studio or well-to-do home to store a collector's most ch...

This provincial collector's shelf features three open compartments enclosed by a decorative frame carved with abstract floral motifs. Dated to the late 19th century, the shelf once stood in an office or home studio, displaying a curated collection of precious objects such as porcelains, bronzes, jades, and scholars' rocks. At the base is a shallow drawer with a floral knob, perhaps used for stowing incense accessories and other smalls. Darkened by a warm finish, the shelf boasts a beautifully worn texture that only time can achieve. We love the rich history this small collector...

Delicately carved of dense hardwood, these 19th-century scroll cases were an essential accessory for the esteemed Qing-dynasty scholar. The perfect size for a rolled-up scroll, the cases were once used to store and protect works of traditional calligraphy and landscape painting. The matching cases are hand-carved in low relief with all-over scrollwork and borders of geometric meanders. Each case is carved with repeated Shou characters, symbols of longevity and a blessing for a long and complete life. Amid the scrollwork flourishes are ribbon-clad objects known as the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, including the eternal knot...