Do not even think about painting it,lol

I second that!!

I agree! My knowledge of antiques is somewhat limited ( understatement!) but would guess it's not oriental based on the wood and style although there are similar'ish styles around currently. I would just try to enhance the wood as it looks like it needs a little Polish. If you were to paint I'd go for black lacquer. It could look quite funky in another finish but I'd take a pic to an antique shop first just in case!

Hi everyone thanks for your replys. I won't paint now:) it's lovely and the design is so unusual it has carvings on each side too. It's very heavy, when I see it online I just thought it would be a veneer but it's a solid piece. The legs screw off and can be placed inside for transport. Would love to know more about it. What would would you say it is minnie101?

Hi Gen. Sorry i really did mean my knowledge is very limited! I've copied this over for your reference re chinese furniture https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_furniture I've also found a similar one in terms of the top http://www.1818auctioneers.co.uk/sales/lot/13264/40/458/A-late-20th-century-hardwood-Oriental-bureau--having-associated-carved-decoration-with-two-drawers-and-cabriole-legs--W-30-quot-/ where did you buy it?

I'm not an expert on antiques, but this looks like a marriage to me. By that, I mean that the legs look to be from the 1950's and the top much earlier, perhaps between 1900- 1930's. Hard to tell from a picture.

It's a lovely piece, nonetheless, and should just be lovingly polished, NO PAINT!

I just saw this posted on twitter and had to make an account so I could comment. My grandma had a trunk/chest and matching floor lamp with this exact same pattern carved into it. I always used to admire it as a child and trace my fingers over the pictures. I know her and my Grandad (who was in the airforce) lived in Singapore in the 60's/70's when my mum was very young, but I'm not sure if the pieces came from there or not. I'm going to call my mum and see if she knows any more about them!

So, I just spoke to my mum, and she said the chest/lamp were bought in Singapore in the early 60's and bought back to the UK. Apparently they were popular 'souvenirs' She sent me a picture on her phone of the lamp (it's in her living room now which I didn't know) but the camphor chest is still with my Gran.

You can just about make out the pattern of the men on the boat and the palm trees.

She said they were made from Camphor wood which is supposed to have a nice fresh scent, and was a natural repellent of Moths and insects!

No idea on price I'm afraid.

Oh thanks so much everyone, and John yes that is nearly the same, crikey it has travelled some miles if that is the case, yes I was trying to work out weather the legs and top were originally together but as they are identical in wood and colour I just presumed it came that way, it's very heavy. Yes the wood does have a sent to it slightly, oh thanks so much to you all for replying its been great:) John who posted on twitter? As I don't have a twitter account. Thanks so much for asking your mum.

I brought it off a local selling page the man didn't know anything about it. I just loved it when I see it. His wife had been using it for a dressing table ..

Glad I could help in some way Gen. They might not be related, but even so it was nice to be reminded of the furniture from my Grandmas as I have never seen anything else like it since. I just wish I could get a picture of the chest to better compare the patterns as I'm sure it had a similar scene on.

The tweet was posted by the official houzzUK account (screenshot below) - they must have been curious too! haha.

Oh fab thanks yes the pattern and the colour of the wood are identical john, I'm pretty convinced they are of the same origin. Maybe the legs are from a later date but I think that's why I can not find anything at all like it, a one off unique piece:) if you do see your gran please post :) would love to see. So curious of its journey, did ur mum purchase them new in the 60's?

And yes thanks Houzz :)

Gran sorry not ur mum x

I think that it is probably Vietnamese because of the distinctive house roof style I think they are called Rong or possibly dutch east indies malaya Philippines The reason being the leg style has an Ercol feel of the 50's /60's so maybe the carver had seen such furniture and was attempting to mimic it for the European market the carving is a little restrained as most Indonesian furniture is covered in carvings

anyway I hope this helps

regards Thomas O'Rourke

Hi thomas thanks for your reply, both of the sides are also carved, I was trying to work out if the legs belong to the piece?

Thank you

My gran and grandad lived in Singapore in the late 60s and they have a writing chest along with a ottoman style box of the same design.

Absolutely beautiful pieces of furniture

Dont paint it. But I believe you can oil these chests to keep the wood gleaming. IF it's made with camphor I would oil it with the same.