Share 'A Pair of Golden Bookcases for the Emperor Wanli'

Wanli, who reigned 400 years ago, was one of the last emperors of the Ming dynasty. A pair of lacquered and gilded bookcases, for sale by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 8, bears his mark. Each piece of furniture is quite small: 151 cm high, 91 cm wide, 50 cm deep, open, with three levels of storage. The luxury of carving and the intense rich gilding make the auction house declare that it was a…