Flooded Paddy Tansu Cabinet

This cabinet is an early 20th-century kiri (pawlonia) tansu finished in indigo-dyed Shagreen. It forms part of an ongoing ‘conversation’ between the simple, traditional furniture of Japan and the special surfaces developed in the Alexander Lamont studio.

Inspired by the flooded paddy fields of Thailand that lie side-by-side in different directions, this piece reflects the light while also having a rich varied depth to the colour and texture created by beautifully applied, tonally varying shagreen or stingray skin.

“Shagreen (stingray) is one of the most beautiful and durable materials in the natural world with its intricate myriad enamel beads covering the surface. We have mastered the techniques of working with this complex material – a by-product of the fishing industry -pushing it into contemporary directions with unique pieces such as this tansu, whose mesmerising surfaces form a wonderfully abstract work of art” - Alexander Lamont