Early 20th Century Tibetan Prayer Wheel Temple Cabinet The unique painted cabinet has double prayer wheels on each side surrounding four niches for placement of Buddhas. There are four painted drawers below.   Early 20th century Double Prayer Wheel Cabinet   Finely Painted Black & Gold Shanxi Cabinet Very fine mid-Qing Shanxi cabinet with exquisite full-panel painting of courtyard scene. Cabinet has large storage behind two hinged doors with hidden storage below. Size: 75" tall x 44.5" wide x 25" deep. $4,500.   Japanese Style Solid Elmwood Chest-On-Chest Re-constructed in China from old wood, this large and solid piece is based on a traditional Japanese design. Size: 74" tall x 68" wide x 24" deep. $2,400.   Step Chest This versatile step chest is actually three separate pieces all set in a base. Sliding doors and drawers are accessible from both sides, making it an excellent room divider. Made from old elmwood, in cherry and natural finishes. $1,800.   Finely Carved Qing Wedding Bed Finely preserved Qing bed with extensive carving. Size: 88" tall x 84" wide x 69" deep. $5,900.   Korean Kitchen Cabinet, circa 1850's Made in Seoul, Korea of pine wood. An excellent, well preserved vernacular and functional cabinet. Size: 39" tall x 54" wide x 25.5" deep. $1,395.   Chinese Round Carved Table, circa 1800's Carved with auspicious animals on panels and finished with chicken claws for the feet. This piece would be useful in a room in which it was important to dispel and repel unwanted spirits. Size: 30" diameter x 21-3/4" deep. SOLD. Sold! -   Jiangsu Bookchest, circa 1860 The bookshelves in this Jiangsu piece are visible from the outside, with closed storage on the bottom. Featuring a very nice patina. Size: 81" tall x 45" wide x 24.5" deep. $1450 Sold! -   Black Lacquer Table & Chairs This beautiful dining room table is made from old elmwood and finished with several layers of black lacquer. The center top of the table features wooden vertical slats with a glass inset. The chairs are the traditional "scholar's hat" design and seat six. The entire set is $4,000.   Burmese Bronze Drum Decorated with small frogs around the top perimeter, this piece, which dates to the mid-20th century, works great as an end table. Size: 20" diameter x 15.5" tall. $1,200.   Featured Furniture Article: Tibetan Furniture Furniture from Tibet has become increasingly popular in the American market. The greatest influx of pieces coming out of Tibet hit Europe and the United States in the late 1980s. These early pieces were appreciated more for their colorful and unique paintings than for their joinery and a quality of wood. Most Tibetan furniture originated in the monasteries, and the functionality of early examples was tied to the lamas' daily needs such as thrones, donation tables, book chests and altars. The scarcity of furniture outside of religious life was influenced by the lack of raw materials and the nomadic way of life of most of the region's population. The most commonly used woods were pine and cedar. Mortice and tenon joinery was used, with nails reserved for the brass or iron decorative and strengthening hardware. The raised images found on many chests were achieved with a gypsum paste similar to gesso. Many pieces were then covered in leather or cloth before being painted. During the 20th century, with the development of urban-based population centers such as Lhasa, domestic furniture flourished. Many of the pieces now found in the markets include examples from the early- to mid-20th century. These pieces display a wider variety of painted themes, including images of everyday life, floral designs and animals. Many scholars attribute the geometric and floral friezes of this era to the proliferation of Chinese Ming-style decorative arts. Most recent examples of Tibetan furniture have experienced some form of repair. This may be limited to a soft retouching of the original paint or may be as extensive as marrying woods from a number of damaged pieces.