Hand-Carved Camphor Wood Chest Low-Relief — Chinese Export Scenic Trunk (Mid-Century)

This mid-century Chinese export chest is crafted from solid camphor wood, stamped KWong Wan Hong Kong and decorated with hand-tooled landscapes — junks at anchor, pagodas among cypress, and a bridge bustling with figures. Its brass clasp retains the scalloped escutcheon typical of 1930s–60s work from Canton workshops. The roomy interior is left unfinished to preserve the natural aroma that repels insects, a feature long valued for storing textiles. Equally useful as a coffee table, blanket box, or accent at the foot of a bed.

Stamped KWONG WAN – HONG KONG, this mid-century camphor trunk tells a quieter story than the deeply carved “souvenir” boxes most people know.
After 1949, many Cantonese carvers resettled in Hong Kong and turned their skills toward a booming export trade. By the mid-1950s, companies such as George Zee, J.L. George, Cathay Arts — and smaller shops like Kwong Wan — were shipping camphor chests, tables, and cabinets to Britain, America, and Australia.

Where the tourist-market models bristled with high-relief dragons, boats, and pagodas, this example reflects the “linen-grade” line: broad panels cut in low relief, leaving a smooth surface meant to hold quilts, linens, or serve as a coffee table without snagging fabrics. Carved scenes — horses cantering through a stylised landscape — keep the romance alive without overwhelming the form.

Camphor was prized not just for its warm grain but for its aromatic oil, long valued as a natural deterrent to moths and silverfish. Families trusted trunks like this to guard seasonal bedding and textiles. The brass hasp and feet give a subtle nod to Chinese export taste while keeping the silhouette restrained.

Because many working chests were sold unmarked, the interior KWONG WAN – HONG KONG stamp is more than decoration: it anchors the piece to Hong Kong’s post-war carving industry and helps date it to the 1950s–early 1960s, when Western servicemen and tourists created steady demand for practical, fragrant storage. Surviving stamped, low-relief examples are scarce; most online listings highlight only the later high-relief, “show-carve” style.

Whether placed at the foot of a bed, used as a coffee-table trunk, or standing sentinel in an entry, this chest blends authenticity with usability — a handsome bridge between hand-carved tradition and mid-century design pragmatism.

Specifications

• Maker: KWong Wan
• Type: Carved storage chest / trunk
• Material: Solid camphor wood with brass hardware
• Height: 20 in
• Width: 39 in
• Depth: 17 in
• Condition: Very good; light surface wear consistent with age
• Marks: KWong Wan Hong Kong
• Provenance: Private estate
• Era: Mid-20th century (Chinese Export)
• SKU: KA-Pollock-Pines-1003
• Style: Low-relief / incised panels; Chinese Export / Traditional
• Weight: Approx. 40 lb

Pick up in Placerville, CA

Delivery available up to 100 miles from Placerville, CA.