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19th century

Tray Table (Soban)

Artist/maker unknown

Image 1 of 31 / 3

The red lacquer on this tray table (soban) indicates that it might have been produced for use in a Korean palace. Sobans were designed to carry and serve an individual portion of a meal. Typically, a given household owned several such trays, ready to serve a sumptuous meal to their guests or to members of their large, extended family. These trays vary in design and size depending on the region of production or the specifications of a client.

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