Can - Wood, Tin - rare antique tea tin

Very rare antique fan-shaped tea casket/tea tin made of black lacquer with gold painting (Chinoiserie/export lacquerware) featuring a historical Japanese collector’s label.

Extremely rare and sought-after collectible piece: a fan-shaped wooden case with fine black lacquer and gilded, figurative Chinoiserie scenes (Chinese scholars/garden motifs) as well as decorative tassels and brocade borders. In the lid there is an original Japanese paper label with calligraphy. The right column reads “明治代表者”, the left column refers to an artist’s name of the Onoe Dynasty (尾上友... – Onoe Tomoshima / Tomoe / Tomoma), a well-known Kabuki actor’s name. This is a historical inventory or collector’s label from Japan. Inside are two removable, precisely fitted tin tea caddies with engraved floral and bird motifs and double closures.

Manufacturer: Unknown workshop/master workshop (Canton export).
Origin: China (Canton export ware for the Western/East Asian market) with historical Japanese provenance.
Dates/Exact period: Mid-19th century (Qing Dynasty / Meiji era, approx. 1850–1880).
Style: Chinoiserie / Chinese export art (Mid 19th Century Chinese Export).
Technique: Black lacquer with fine gold painting, tin engraving/etching, ink/calligraphy on paper.
Material: Wood, black lacquer, gold pigment/gold lacquer, tin (inner tea caddies), metal/brass (lock fittings), paper.
Dimensions: height 10.5 cm, width 28.8 cm, depth 13.5 cm.
Condition: Aged, used, authentic original condition. The lacquer shows age-related craquelure, flaking, chips, and fine tension cracks in the wood. The original lock and latch on the lid are present but currently do not close/grasp (mechanism may require adjustment/cleaning). The tin interior is well preserved with an aged patina.

Shipping: Will be securely packaged and shipped insured.