Just like Cinnabarwares, Cloisonné wares were reserved for the Imperial Chinese court during the Ming and Qing dynasty as they are extremely expensive the difficult to produce. Every piece requires as much as 13 steps from start to finish, not forgetting a lot of the enamels had to be imported from Europe. While the Chinese possibly did not invent Cloisonné wares, they definitely made one of the most beautiful and intricate versions of it.

This mini cloisonné box is stylised an adorable whale with a removable head that doubles as a cover. It is layered with blue enamel on the inside create an elegant contrast with the dominant red enamels on the exterior.

Age: 1980-90’s

Dimensions: 5cm (h)

Great for collectors of whales, cloisonnés and those just looking for a unique box to hide their treasure.