I'd like to buy an antique Chinese cabinet for my home, but have no idea what to get. What do you recommend?
WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS
'Chinese cabinets are probably one of the earliest forms of furniture, dating from the Northern Wei [386 to 584],' says Anwer Islam of Chine Gallery. 'The earliest example didn't even look like a cabinet. It looked like a storage box with four legs, a frame and panels.'
Owing to the evolution of craftsmanship and style over thousands of years, 'we now have mouldings, decorations and different materials'. Wood indigenous to each region was most often used, says Islam. 'Camphor wood was and is popular for its aroma, which keeps the insects away. It's like cedar from the western world - very common in China.'
TYPES OF CABINET
The uses of the cabinets changed with time. 'Some are more practical for today, and some are purely for display. For example, a medicine cabinet is decorative, whereas a square-cornered cabinet, which was used as a wardrobe, is practical.'
