Featured Lacquered box in terrible condition...what to do?

Hi all! I got this round Japanese (Chinese?) Lacquer box in an auction log the other day, (had no idea i was getting it along with the items I was after) and it's one of those conundrum pieces...



It's so pretty on the sides and underneath, but in terrible condition on the top, pieces missing and all the shellac turned black ....or possibly it's just filthy. It looks like its been in a garage for 50 years, there's still detail underneath all the black, I'd really like to clean it up to see it better. I'm not planning on selling it (way too far gone for that obvs) Just wanted to give the old girl a few more years on a shelf with me, it would make a sweet sewing box.

There is a significant amount of mother of pearl inlay with a lot of fine detail so nothing abrasive will work, can't use a lot of water and can't use solvents so I'm feeling a little lost.

If anyone can advise on how to embark on such a cleaning project I'd love to hear about it! Also any ideas othe what the black discoloration might be also very welcome- I just can't work out why the top would be so shocking while the rest of it is only lightly aged...?

Thanks so much for looking

 

clean it gently...
display it high uo so the top doesn't detract from the lovely side work..

 

Lovely box, Kylie. So who is you helper?

 

Ooh! A ravishing Vietnamese old WOOD inlaid box!
A cleaning first with soapy tepid water dampening a soft cloth, then with wood product or maybe something gas based will remove all that blackening. Work by little areas as a restorer!
Then with more visibility you'll see if the lacks may be filled...

Your helper is nearly looking like my Nini

 

haha I thought I'd include that pic for cuteness factor

My little inspector is Poussiéreux (pronounced roughly puss-a-roo French for Dusty. She is a new addition to the household turned up living in our barn hiding amongst all the furniture in there - I heard her 3 days before I saw her lol. Now our other cat lets her inside and she's lounging in the house, and making herself indispensable

 

Thank you @kyratango I appreciate the advice!

I did have a half hearted attempt with some water on a cotton tip (I use this technique to clean fly spots / small marks off canvas paintings) but nothing moved at all, so I thought maybe the coating itself has gone black. But I'll have more of an honest attempt with a bit of soap in the mix and see what happens!

Just a question - could you please tell me what kind of product you mean by gas based? Is there a brand name perhaps you could recommend?

(My little helper likes to get in my photos if at all possible so I thought I should let her have a moment...and give us something else to comment on lol

 

Yes that's good advice, I'm about to have some shelves built into an old empty alcove we have, so I know just where it should live!

 

Gas is my traduction for what in France we call "essence C" a generic product which can be get in "magasin de bricolage"

 

A solvent of some sort?

 

Great thank you! I will look out for some "essence C" at the local brico I will do a patch test first ...though I could hardly make things worse thank you again!