This week in objects conservation we open up the 19^th C Lacquered chest. We’ve done several posts about the exterior of this chest, but what about the inside? The interior is in great condition, and, as you can see in this photo, it is a very vibrant yellow! Occasionally, when chests or boxes come into the lab, our conservators find items left behind by previous owners. Inside this chest we found a brass lock, a 1904 penny with a small hole drilled through, a stamp with three characters, and several broken stone fragments.

The brass lock is part of the chest and fits perfectly to allow the lid to be secured, the other items likely belonged to previous owners. All of the items will be kept with the chest and investigated to learn more about this object!