The pair of black and red lacquer over wood carriers is unique and in my experience there is not a similar pair. Its function too is a mystery, it has been suggested that since there is hardware on the top they could be carriers for oil containers used by a lamp lighter on his rounds. In any case, what is so special about the carriers are the inscriptions: on one side is a date - the 2nd year of Tongzi, 1857. The second inscription states the hallmark where the carriers belonged - Zhou Fu Yuan Tong. It is not so rare, but quite uncommon to have a name of a place where an object belongs. For sure these carriers were made to hold objects, though what objects they held we may never know. The provenance is most possibly Shanxi Province where stately homes are preserved in several sites by UNESCO.
The wooden carriers indeed have style - it is six sided with cabriole legs, the apron is done in red lacquer and the handle and legs in black. Verticulated spandrels are attached by joinery, The construction is done according to the traditional method of using joinery and no nails were used.
The purpose of these dated and named objects remain a mystery and they will remain a puzzle that I hope someday will be resolved.
Date: 1857
Dimensions: each carrier is 18 inches wide, 18inches deep and 25 inches high
Condition: in good original condition with worn areas,, unaltered with some Imperfections