This impressive carved and gilt-painted carrying style wooden tea cask perhaps is the most elaborately carved one we have seen! It's beautifully carved with a deep-relived style with a buffalo under an auspicious blossoming peony tree. A phoenix bird is carved flying above the peony, watching below. The cross bar and the lid on the top come off easily when replacing teapot inside with more hot tea. The tea cask then would be stuffed with cotton to keep the teapot from moving and to keep the tea warm. Such tea cask was likely made for a bride with elaborate dowry to be used during cold weathers to keep the tea warm when the newly wed bride might need to carry the tea room to room to serve the in-law and elderly in the family. Late 19-early 20th century.

Dimensions: 17 3/8"h x 19 1/4"w x 14 1/4"d

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