hidden compartment box

Gliding majestically down a wide river, the royal boat or suphannahong is a regal sight. Nantana Sompamitre depicts a scene inspired by ancient Thai temple paintings. Depicted in golden foil on lacquered mango wood, it graces a box for business cards.

Dazzling on a sleek, dark cylinder, a mosaic diamond reveals an ancient craft technique. Lacquerware was brought to Thailand from China centuries ago; today Thai artisans have developed their own unique styles. Nantana Sompamitre crafts a decorative box of dramatic beauty. Once the mango wood is carved into the desired shape it is coated with lacquer. Once dried it is polished, and another coat is applied – up to twenty times – before as many six coats of pure lacquer are present. The final layer is polished with powdered fired clay. Next, eggshells are cleaned and cracked into small pieces. Sompamitre arranges them in the desired pattern on a fresh coat of lacquer. The lid is lacquered twice more and sanded in water until the eggshells appear.

Though the technique of lacquerware actually originated in China, it spread to northern Thailand centuries ago and firmly took hold there. Artisan Nantana Sompamitre crafts this delightful round box from mango wood and paints it carefully with an abundance of flowers and arabesque motifs. The result is a very special receptacle in which to store your prized treasures.

Perpetuating Thailand's ancient lacquerware tradition, Subin Tositarat presents this petite decorative box. It depicts a forest of whispering bamboo, painted by hand on the circular lid.

Though the technique of lacquerware actually originated in China, it spread to northern Thailand centuries ago and firmly took hold there. Artisan Nantana Sompamitre crafts this delightful duck box from mango wood and paints it carefully with stylized feathers and floral motifs. The result is a very special box in which to store your prized treasures. The Lanna Kingdom is now northern Thailand.

Forming a circle, four quarter-round boxes display the ancient technique of lacquerware. Though the art form originated in China, the technique spread to northern Thailand centuries ago and firmly took hold there. Artisan Nantana Sompamitre crafts this set of four small boxes from mango wood and paints them carefully with floral motifs in tones of yellow and red.

Nantana Sompamitre orchestrates a floral revelry detailed in purple for the design of this decorative box. Hand-carved of mango wood, the etched images are underscored by glossy black lacquer in the tradition of Thai décor.