Red Lacquer Paneled 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 originally used to store the festive hat of an individual of rank and nobility. A tall lid protects the hat's domed shape as well as accoutrements such as a decorative feather or a beaded official's finial. Formed of red lacquered hide secured to a wooden frame, this hat box has an intriguing form and makes for a fantastic collector's item.