Red Lacquer Summer Hat Box

No self-respecting man in Qing-dynasty China would leave the house without some kind of hat. In fact, headgear was so central to social status that even the containers used to store one's hat were beautifully constructed.

This pointed hat box dates to the mid-19th century and was used to store a conical summer hat. Finely woven of split bamboo, the festive summer hats worn by ranked officials were usually lined with a fine silk gauze and topped with a beaded finial. This accompanying hat box has a sculptural, graphic shape and is minimally decorated with a finish of red lacquered hide. With its intriguing form and storied history, this box makes for a fantastic collector's item and a statement addition to the home.