Small furniture for writing. Of exuberant and varied color, the profuse ornamentation stands out, there is practically no space left undecorated, both outside and inside; with figures dressed in European fashion participating in scenes of fighting, hunting, courtesans as well as tiny ornamental motifs along the edges. The central scene of the flip top is framed by a strip decorated with floral and geometric motifs of indigenous influence.
In Mexico, during the colonial era, the current state of Michoacán was an important manufacturing center for polychrome lacquered wooden furniture. The region of beautiful lakes and abundant forests was the land of the Purépechas, an indigenous population also known as Tarascan Indians. In pre-Hispanic times, the Purépechas covered pumpkins of all sizes and shapes with many layers of a paste made with garlic, the fatty secretion of an insect, chia seed oil and a dolomite mineral compound. After being polished, the vessels acquired a smooth and glossy surface that was impervious to moisture. Objects that were intended for the indigenous elite or for religious purposes were decorated with multiple colors. Initially, the piece received several layers of lacquer; The artist then recorded a drawing on that lacquer base. The sections that were to receive new colors were recessed and powder pigments mixed with the same ingredients used for the paste were embedded in the recessed sections.

During the decoration process, the object was polished several times. When the image was completed, a final polishing was given to the entire piece. This pre-Hispanic decoration technique is known as sausage.