Handcrafted Lacquerware Decorative Boxes (Pair), "Good Luck Turtles"

Delicate blue flowers adorn the smooth shells of these charming turtles. Working with mango wood, Nantana Sompamitre creates a matched pair of boxes. In Thailand, turtles are symbols of good luck, revered for their longevity. Sompamitre carves wood into the desired shape and coats it with lacquer. Once dried it is polished and another coat is applied – up to twenty times. The final layer is polished with powdered fired clay and painted by hand.