Re: Need help ID ornate carved chest
twentysixtwo, thanks for your input. it does smell of cinnamon. read up on camphor wood, suppose to hold smell for a hundred years.
inner lining doesn't match exterior. like AW said, hinges do look new. but brass hinges have been made for over a hundred years.
took out liner basket and confirmed cinnamon smell is not coming from liner material. this further makes me believe liner was added later.
there is a total of 8 iron screws holding mortised legs to chest.
there is no plywood used anywhere, only solid veneer
found this hunting for antique chinese furniture info:
Fittings
Metalwork on Asian furniture includes handles, lockplates, hinges and decorative hardware. Some Japanese and Korean chests are almost entirely covered with such fittings in iron, copper, or brass alloys. Many mounts are plain, while others have patterns incised, pricked or hammered on their surface; some are even lacquered in red or black. It is not unusual for old pieces to have relatively new fittings, which should not affect a piece's value if the fittings have been chosen with care.
"Basically the only way you're going to know if something is a real antique or if it's a fake is if the dealer tells you it is and you trust the dealer. There's no way the average person is going to know if a piece is a fake or not. It's hard sometimes for dealers to tell. You have to be an expert to know if it's an Asian antique. It's a matter of knowing the dealer and knowing you can trust the dealer's word on a piece."
"Throughout China, most furniture was finished with lacquer coatings to provide durable, sealed surfaces as well as decorative effects - a technique practised since ancient times. In fact, lacquer is one the best indicators of the age of a piece, since lacquer ages and oxidizes at predictable, measurable rates. "
the detective hunt goes on...
thanks again everyone!