Baikal Duck Enamel Box

Charming hand-enamelled trinket box echoing 19th-century Chinese enamelware, when cloisonne and painted enamels frequently featured birds as symbols of harmony and prosperity. The art of cloisonne, in which fine wire partitions are soldered to a metal base and the resulting cells filled with vitreous enamel, reached its highest development in China during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), and continued to be refined through the Qing period into the 19th century when elaborate enamelware became highly sought after by Western collectors. Birds such as the crane, mandarin duck and phoenix carried layers of auspicious meaning in Chinese decorative tradition, making them perennial favourites for objects intended to bring good fortune to their owner.

Made exclusively for Museum Selection.

Colour: Multicoloured
Metal, enamel
6cm tall
Hinged lid
Clean with a soft cloth