Chinese Apothecary Cabinet With 101 Drawers - "the Cabinet With A Hundred Eyes"

An important Chinese apothecary cabinet made of lacquered hardwood, comprising a total of 101 drawers: 37 on the front and 64 arranged on a rotating octagonal central column. The rectangular, black-lacquered structure contrasts with the red-lacquered drawer fronts, adorned with inscriptions in Chinese characters. The cabinet is organized around a central niche incorporating a rotating column, a rare feature allowing direct and efficient access to a large number of drawers. Each drawer has a metal handle and bears an inscription indicating the substance or medicinal herb it was intended to contain, attesting to its use in traditional Chinese medicine. The drawers are deep and divided into three internal compartments, allowing for the precise organization of remedies. This type of cabinet is known in Chinese as 药柜 (yaogui), literally "medicine cabinet," a central element in traditional medicine pharmacies. The only restoration carried out on this piece of furniture concerns the central column's axis, in order to restore its smooth rotation in accordance with its original function. The piece is otherwise in excellent condition; its patina, deliberately preserved, gives it a presence and authenticity that was essential to maintain. Due to its size, the complexity of its design, and its condition, this piece represents a rare example of Chinese utilitarian furniture, straddling the line between a working object and a collector's item.

Dimensions: Height: 174 cm Width: 94 cm Depth: 55 cm.

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