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Click here to subscribeAn antique 19th Century English Victorian walnut button back armchair having a carved floral top with further carved detailing running down the spoonback. Shaped curved padded armrests with decorative carved detailing terminating to the cushioned seat rest with all being raised on shaped supports upon brass and ceramic castors. The chair measures approx; 110cm x 79cm x 59cm.
An antique early 19th Century Georgian Regency period mahogany parlour / salon / two seater love seat bench. The twin seat chair having carved arched back rests with lyre instrument central decoration with gilt detailing. Green velvet padded armrests arm rests elbow rests and seat with further carved floral decoration with all being raised on tapering reeded supports. Measures approx 93cm x 94cm x 40cm.
A matching pair of antique 19th Century Victorian English mahogany framed bedroom chairs / low easy lounge chair / nursing chairs in the manner of Gillows. Each chair having a carved mahogany backrest with central cushioned panel flanked by open panel scroll sides. Stuffed seat pads with floral upholstery with each being raised on turned leg supports on brown ceramic castors. Each chair measures approx; 73cm x 49cm x 47cm.
An antique pair of 18th Century Georgian walnut & cane low and wide bergere library armchairs / arm chairs having a carved shell. scroll & acanthus leaf backrest with bergere cane woven back and seat with scrolled elbow rests all raised on light carved legs. Measures approx; 85cm x 59cm 49cm.
A rare antique 19th Century English country house yew and elm wood childs / childrens Windsor armchair / armchair of typical form having a hoop backrest with yew decorative pierced splat and railed upright supports leading to the elbow rests with having a light scroll to the ends. The saddle seat supported on turned legs united by Crinoline stretcher. Measures approx; 62cm x 45cm x 35cm.
An antique 17th Century English dining / servants hall side chair of oak construction having an angled inset square panel backrest with flared top and carved scroll decoration below. Oak panel seat rest raised on block and turned supports united by stretchers. Measures approx. 98cm x 45cm x 39cm.
A pair of antique 19th Century Victorian buttoned corner chairs of tub chairs having a trefoil button back backrest and cushioned iron sprung seat raised on carved walnut feet with white ceramic castors. One being upholstered in a salmon pink floral scroll upholstery. Wear / worm to one leg of one chair. Measures approx; 73cm x 90cm x 65cm Floor to seat 33cm.
An antique 19th Century Victorian Chesterfield drop arm sofa settee in the manner of Howard & Sons. The sofa having a stunning silk damask upholstery with floral medallions and borders throughout. Cushioned arms and backrest with cushioned seat. Raised on turned wooden legs with casters. Mechanism functions correctly. Complete with two matching pillows. Measures approx; 74cm x 185cm x 78cm
An antique 19th Century English Victorian Jacobean revival ebonised oak bench / seat having a decorative carved backrest with central carved sun face and floral detailing. Scrolled armrests with carved detailing to the seat itself with all being raised on carved floral supports. Measures approx; 78cm x 121cm x 31cm.
Heals Of London - An original early 20th Century Edwardian set of four mahogany dining chairs. The chairs having ladder back rests with drop in seat pads raised on block leg supports united by 'H' stretcher. Original Heals plaque present to underside. Measures approx; 88cm x 46cm x 45cm. Floor to seat 46cm.
An antique 19th Century Victorian English Arts & Crafts movement mahogany revolving swivel ships captains chair office desk armchair or casino dealers dealing arm chair having a shaped backrest and broad scrolled arms with pierced upside down heart motifs. Circular woven cane rattan seat raised on four sabre leg quadruped splayed base.. Measures: 82cm x 65cm x 60cm.
An antique 19th Century Georgian leather ' Camelback ' sofa settee having a shaped serpentine back with studded nailhead detailing throughout. Cushioned leather seat pads with serpentine front, carved detailing and raised on cabriole legs. Some wear to legs and metal supports have been added. Measures approx; 84cm x 184cm x 64cm.
An antique 18th Century Georgian English Country elm wood Windsor chair armchair / elbow chair having a carved wood spindle come back with a single shaped wheelback slat panel. Shaped elbow rests and saddle panel seat all raised on turned and tapered legs united by a crinoline stretcher. Measures approx 106cm x 64cm x 50cm.
An antique 19th Century French walnut framed open fauteuil armchair having a patterned floral upholstered backrest with stud detailing and show wood walnut frame with sweeping armrests. The chair having a padded seat rest with all being raised on sweeping scroll supports. Measures approx; 95cm x 65cm x 54cm.
An antique 19th Century Victorian oak and mahogany swivel captains desk chair / office armchair having a red leatherette curved back rail and arms with turned tapering rail supports, shaped saddle single panel seat all raised on splayed leg quadruped base with large brass wheel castors. Measures approx; 81cm x 64cm x 45cm.
An antique early 19th Century Georgian English Country Farmhouse Windsor armchair / elbow chair of yew, elm and beech wood construction. The chair having a shaped comb backrest with turned rails, shaped elbow rests and saddle seat rest. The arm chair being raised on turned legs united by a 'H' stretcher. Measures approx; 97cm x 55cm x 41cm.
A matching set of ten 20th Century English Jacobean revival dining chairs of oak construction. Each chair having show wood oak frames with brown leatherette backrest and seat rest having studded boards. Each chair raised on chunky turned supports united by a H-stretcher. Each chair measures approx; 90cm x 46cm x 44cm.
An antique 19th Century English Country / Farmhouse oak sheep shearers armchair having a scroll top and central carved rail to the backrest. The chair having open sweeping arms with a floral upholstered seat rest with a hidden drawer below opening via the side. All being raised on sweeping supports. Measures approx; 85cm x 55cm x 47cm.
An antique 19th Century Victorian English button back Chesterfield type spoon back nursing chair / low easy lounge chair having a shaped spoon back with button down duck egg teal paisley upholstery. Overstuffed seat with shaped sides all raised on turned baluster legs with brass castors. Measures approx; 82cm x 60cm x 60cm.
An antique early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts oak framed designer open arm armchair / fireside chair having a tall oak framed back rest with a padded floral panel inset. The chair having large tapering armrests and a thick drop in seat pad with all being raised on straight leg supports united by stretchers. Measures approx; 116cm x 73cm x 56cm.
An antique late 19th / early 20th Century Victorian children's dog drawn cart / carriage of painted wooden construction. The central drivers seat to the front flanked carriage lamps with a black leather button back passenger seat to the back folding cover with brass studs. Red painted frame with white highlights all raised on four wheels. A lovely example. Measures approx with out reigns 104cm x 88cm x 108cm.
A matching pair of antique 19th Century Victorian English mahogany Country house hall chairs having armorial shaped backrest with pierced carved decoration and scroll backs. Shaped seat rests with each being raised on block and turned leg supports to the front and sweeping supports to the back. Each chair measures approx; 89cm x 45cm x 39cm.
A pair of 20th Century English ebonised and gilt wood armchairs / carver chairs in the manner of a pair of Georgian Regency examples. Curved backrail with gilt decoration having a single panel support with painted classical figures and further gilt pattrend detailing. Long sweeping armrests with turned supports having Greek key gilt decoration below and cane seat rest. All being raised on turned supports. Each chair measures approx; 83cm x 51cm x 53cm.
An antique early 19th Century Georgian English Country Farmhouse Windsor armchair / elbow / fireside chair of yew and elm wood construction. The chair having a shaped comb backrest with central yew wood back splat, turned rails, shaped elbow rests and saddle seat. The arm chair being raised on turned legs united by a crinoline stretcher. Measures approx; 90cm x 55cm x 47cm.
An antique 19th Century Victorian English mahogany framed armchair / library open arm reading chair in the manner of Howard & Sons. The chair having a padded backrest and seat rest with all being upholstered in a checkered blue and salmon tartan fabric (Some damage). Raised on turned supports upon brass and brown ceramic castors. Measures approx; 95cm x 65cm x 90cm.
A FINE PAIR OF HUANGHUALI YOKEBACK ARMCHAIRS, NANGUANMAOYI17th centuryEach with a curved crest rail supported on curved rear posts and s-shaped splats, the arm rails supported on slender, tapering standing stiles terminating in the front posts above the soft-mat seat, above a plain apron of square section, all raised on legs of square section joined by straight stretchers and a plain footrest. 122cm (48in) high x 61.5cm (24 2/8in) wide x 47.5cm (18 5/8in) deep. (2).Footnotes:十七世紀 高靠背南官帽椅成對Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏Displaying restrained lines and generous yet balanced statuesque proportions, and enhanced by the rich lustre of the huanghuali honey-coloured wood, the present pair of chairs embodies the search for simplicity through the beauty and elegance of form, quintessential embodiments of the Ming dynasty timeless aesthetic. The 'Southern official's hat' armchair is one of the most prestigious forms of Chinese furniture. Whereas many armchairs of this form feature thick members and rigid lines, the present pair, displaying slender and elegant curves, has a most refined aesthetic, and represents among the most graceful examples of this design. The entirely uncarved surfaces also suggests that the carpenter appreciated their beauty in form and material. This particular design of nanguanmaoyi chairs differs from the 'official's hat' armchair guanmaoyi in that the crestrails continue into the back posts, as opposed to extending horizontally beyond them. In addition, creating the continuous line of the crestrail joining into the rear upright posts is achieved by a rounded, right-angle joint called a 'pipe-joint,' which is also used to join the curved arms to the front upright posts. According to Sarah Handler, the Chinese yokeback chair was considered the stately seat of Buddhists, deities, royalty and important people; see S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Hong Kong, 2001, p.43. Discussing the origin of this form, Robert Jacobsen and Nicholas Grindley refer to bent bamboo construction, popular in the Song and Ming dynasties, as a possible inspiration for the continuous top and arm rails which is a principal feature of 'Southern official's hat' armchairs. An illustration from the 'Legend of the Jade Hairpin' Yuzan Ji, dated circa 1570, depicts a pair of speckled-bamboo tall-back chairs with continuous crestrails; see R.Jacobsen and N.Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999, pp.52-53. Compare with a pair of very similar huanghuali 'Southern official's hat' armchairs, early 17th century, of similar proportions and shaped aprons and spandrels as the present examples, in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, illustrated by R.Jacobsen and N.Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999, pp.52-53. See also another nearly-identical pair of huanghuali 'Southern official's hat' armchairs, 17th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2026.此對南官帽椅全身光素，彎弧優美，屬於高靠背南官帽椅的標準式。搭腦中成枕形，素麵三彎靠背板嵌入搭腦下方及椅盤後大邊的槽口。後腿上截以挖煙袋鍋榫連接搭腦兩端，向下穿過椅盤成為腿足；三彎弧形的扶手與前腿鵝脖同樣也以挖煙袋鍋榫連接，後端出榫接入後腿上截，中間支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。椅盤為格角榫攢邊框，邊抹冰盤沿上舒下斂底壓窄邊線，四框內緣踩邊打眼造軟屜。座面下安券口牙子，沿邊起線，上方齊頭碰椅盤下面，二側嵌入腿足，底端出榫納入踏腳棖。左右兩面安相似券口牙子，後方為短牙子。腿間施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素牙子。作為中國古典家具中最負盛名的形式之一，南官帽椅線條優美、造型舒展，通過明快而優雅的形式體現了明代家具簡練、純粹的美學追求。此對高靠背南官帽椅結構嚴謹、用材細緻，既通過造型高大顯示其挺拔俊秀，又兼具靈動線條傳達出的娟秀雅緻；寬厚的靠背板紋理流暢，亮澤如蜜，更見木材天然韻致，盡現傳統中國家具之經典。官帽椅有搭腦和扶手都出頭的「四出頭」、以及四處無一出頭的南官帽椅之別；南官帽椅的搭腦、扶手和前後腿以悶榫角接合的正角榫接做法，匠師據其形象稱之為「挖煙袋鍋」。據Sarah Handler考證，官帽椅主要為供奉神明及王公貴族... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE PAIR OF LARGE HUANGHUALI SQUARE STOOLS, FANGDENG17th/18th centuryEach with a square frame enclosing a hard-mat seat with double reeded aprons wrapping completely around the exterior of the piece to simulate bamboo, the wrap-around stretchers joined to the apron by two pairs of interlocked-ring struts on each side, all supported on four legs of circular section. 62.9cm (24 6/8in) square x 48.3cm (19in) high. (2).Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 黃花梨直足裹腿方凳成對Provenance: an American family collection, acquired in Beijing before 1945Sotheby's New York, 15 September 2015, lot 168An important European private collection來源：美國家族私人舊藏，1945年前購於北京紐約蘇富比，2015年9月15日，拍品編號168歐洲重要私人收藏Distinguished by their simple elegance and the refined geometry of their design, complemented with interlocking circular braces, the present stools are a rare and remarkable example of their particular type. Corner-leg stools were highly popular during the Ming dynasty. They were stable and durable due to their apron and waist carved from a single piece of wood. The form of the present pair of stools suited them well to a variety of settings, due to their simple yet sturdy shape, and examples exist with both soft and hard-mat seats, with and without stretchers, and with and without carved surface decoration.Stools have a long history in China, with the earliest examples depicted on a ritual vessel of the Eastern Zhou period (770-221 BC). In later times, stools were variously used as seats for Buddhist deities and high-ranking members of society. Their relatively small size made these seats perfectly adaptable to being moved from indoors to outdoors, where they often served as both seats and small tables during scholarly gatherings. For a discussion about the evolution of stools in China, see S.Handler, The Austere Luminosity of Classical Chinese Furniture, Berkeley and London, 2001, pp.82-102. The combination of interlocking-ring braces decorating the present stools may have been inspired by earlier furniture designs. An altar table excavated from an underground chamber of a pagoda in Yuegezhuang, Fangshan, dating to circa 1110 AD, displays a similar combination of vertical struts and interlocking braces to the present stools; see Wang Shixiang, 'Development of Furniture Design and Construction from the Song to the Ming', in Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999, Hong Kong, 1999, pp.42-55. A pair of similar stools, early Qing dynasty, is illustrated by Wang Shixang in Classic Chinese Furniture; Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986, vol.2, p.21, no.A11.Compare with a pair of huanghuali stools of similar shape, 17th/18th century, illustrated by R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, New York, 1970, pl.114. A related pair of huanghuali stools, 18th century, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 23 March 2011, lot 676.方凳成對，攢框裝硬屜，邊抹混面，採用「垛邊」的造法，飽滿渾圓。腿足亦用圓材，羅鍋棖用裹腿做。每面棖上兩根矮老，中間安雙環卡子花。圓裹腿的黃花梨杌凳，又被追溯為仿竹製傢俱，邊抹腿足均為弧面，圓潤清新。裹腿是比較考究的製作工藝，垛邊的造法增加了邊抹的厚度，既加固了穩定性，又在與裹腿相呼應的同時避免了厚重之感，顯得輕盈而精巧。棖上加裝矮老和卡子花，以代牙條。據考證，矮老早在遼金時期就已出現；建於約1110年的房山岳各莊遼塔中發現一例供案，就已使用矮老。至明代已成為一種常用構件，或代之以各式卡子花，即裝飾化的矮老，俊俏疏透，不落繁俗。見王世襄著，〈Development of Furniture Design and Construction from the Song to the Ming〉，收錄於《Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999》，香港，1999年，頁42-55。參考一對清早期直足裹腿方凳，收錄於王世襄著，《明式家具珍賞》，倫敦，1986年，卷二，頁21，編號A11；以及一對十七至十八世紀黃花梨方凳，收錄於安思遠著，《Chinese Furniture》，紐約，1970年，圖版114。一對十八世紀黃花梨直足裹腿方凳，售於紐約蘇富比，2011年3月23日，拍品編號676，可資參考。This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
AN EXTREMELY RARE HUANGHUALI LOW-BACK CONTINUOUS YOKEBACK ARMCHAIR, NANGUANMAOYI17th centuryThe highly-curved round-cornered top-rail pipe joined to the stiles, which continue through the seat frame to become the back legs, the elongated round-cornered S-shaped arms mitred, mortised and tenoned to the stiles and pipe-joined to the posts, similarly continuing through the seat to become the front legs, the sockets in the seat frame and the underside of the arms supported by a pair of tapering S-shaped circular supports, the back splat with two beaded-edged stretchers mortised and tenoned to the underside of the top rail and the back rail of the seat frame, further divided into three sections with a pair of horizontal beads-edged mitred stretchers, the top inset with a reticulated panel decorated with a foliate design above a central burlwood panel and a cusped leaf-shaped apron below the lower stretcher, the seat frame of standard mitre, mortise and tenon construction with the edge slightly curving and tenons exposed on the short rails, a plain apron with mitred spandrels butt-joined to the underside and tongue-and-grooved to the legs beneath the seat, the sides and back with similar aprons, the legs joined in front by a shaped footrest above an apron, each side fitted with a pair of oval stretchers flattened on the underside, the back with a similar single stretcher. 93cm high (36 5/8in) x 56.3cm (22 1/8in) wide x 45.3cm (18in) deep.Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨攢靠背南官帽椅Provenance: Grace Wu Bruce, Hong KongThe Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Renaissance, CaliforniaChristie's New York, 19 September 1996, lot 36Sotheby's Hong Kong, 6 April 2016, lot 103An important European private collectionPublished and Illustrated: Wang Shixiang and C.Evarts, Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, pp.68-69來源：香港古董商嘉木堂中國古典家具博物館，美国加州Renaissance紐約佳士得，1996年9月19日，拍品編號36香港蘇富比，2016年4月6日，拍品編號103歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄：王世襄及柯惕思，《中國古典家具博物館館藏精品》，芝加哥及舊金山，1995年，頁68 – 69Characterised by elegant lines and generous yet balanced proportions, this magnificent armchair displays painstaking and delicate workmanship, conveying a highly-refined aesthetic pervaded with a strong sense of Court atmosphere. A variant of the 'yokeback' chair, the 'Southern official's hat' seat is one of the most highly-accomplished forms of Chinese furniture construction. Comfortable, elegant and somewhat less formal than tall yokeback chairs with extended arms and top rails, the 'Southern official's hat' seat displays elegant proportions without a heavy appearance. The crestrail of this graceful seat appears to blend seamlessly into the back posts, as opposed to extending beyond them, As with the 'official's hat' counterpart. This effect was achieved through the use of the so-called 'pipe-joint,' a right-angle joint which also connected the curved arms to the front upright posts. Yokeback armchairs were used since at least the Northern Song dynasty as seats for emperors, deities, high-ranking officials. Their relatively-straight back forced the body to assume a posture of upright rectitude, thus inevitably bestowing honour, dignity and power on the dignitary sitting on it. These chairs were usually made in sets of four or more, arranged in the reception hall for guests, with the hosts and guests respectively seated in the north and south side of the hall. However, towards the end of the Ming dynasty, this arrangement was altered to an east-west configuration. For a comprehensive view of the evolution of the yokeback chair, see S.Handler, 'A Yokeback Chair for Sitting Tall,' in Journal of the Chinese Classical Furniture Society, Spring 1993, pp.4-23.It is very unusual for a 'Southern official's hat' armchair to have three-sectioned backsplats, a feature more frequently associated with 'horseshoe-back' examples. Here the upper section is carved with a reticulated ruyi medallion; the middle section is set with an attractive burlwood panel exhibiting highly-figured 'grape-like' grains; and the lower section is defined by an arched apron. This elaborate design was probably adapted to fit the aesthetic taste of the owner and may have been inspired by a 'continuous yokeback' armchair depicted in a woodblock illustration from 'Journey to the West' Xiyou Ji (1573-1619) illustrated by Chu-Pak Lau, Classical Chinese Furniture from the Haven Collection, Hong Kong, 2016, p.98.Compare with a set of four huanghuali 'Southern official's hat' armchairs, 17th/18th century, in the Hong Kong University Museum, which display a related tripartite design for the backsplats, illustrated in Ibid., p.99, no.17.大彎弧形的圓材搭腦兩端以挖煙袋鍋榫連接後腿上截，穿過椅盤成為腿足。三彎弧形的圓材扶手飄肩出榫納入後腿上截，前端以挖煙袋鍋榫與前腿鵝脖連接，穿過椅盤成為腿足，扶手中間支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。靠背板由三段攢成，上段鑲鏤空如意紋牌，中段鑲楠木癭子，下段鑲葉紋亮腳。靠背後方掛麻披灰。椅盤為標準格角榫攢邊框，四框內緣踩邊打眼造軟屜。冰盤微起混面，抹頭見透榫。座面下帶耳形牙頭的牙條，左右兩側及後方安相似短牙條。前方腿足間施踏腳棖，下有一素牙子，左右兩側各安二根底面削平橢圓... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A HUANGHUALI HORSESHOE-BACK ARMCHAIR, QUANYI17th centuryWith curving toprail sloping down to the arms supported on serpentine side posts and terminating in a curved hook beyond the corner posts set with shaped spandrels, the backsplat carved with a ruyi panel enclosing entwining chilong dragons, the back corner posts continuing below the rectangular frame set with a mat seat, to the back legs joined by stretchers and a footrest with plain shaped apron. 94cm (37in) high x 60cm (23 5/8in) wide x 45.5cm (18in) deep.Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨圈椅Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5 April 2015, lot 2848An important European private collection來源：香港蘇富比，2015年4月5日，拍品編號2848歐洲重要私人收藏Armchairs like the present example are timeless in the simplicity and elegant balance of their lines. Known as 'horseshoe-back armchairs' quanyi, these seats are particularly attractive for the fluidity of their form achieved through the continuous curved crest rail that also functions as an armrest. Quanyi chairs were often made in sets of two or four and are depicted in woodblock illustrations dating to the Ming and Qing dynasty, showing their use in the context of activities related to dining, painting or receiving guests. Horseshoe-back chairs displayed high status and with the addition of two carrying poles, they were easily converted into sedan chairs reserved for high-ranking officials; see C.Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1988, p.24.The elegant design of the present seat was probably inspired by chairs of nearly-identical shape made of varying lengths of bamboo, which were subsequently bent into a 'U'-shape and bound together using natural fibres. These seats were highly regarded for their lightweight, sturdy and strong appearance, so the cabinetmakers quickly adapted this design to hardwood furniture using ingenious joinery techniques. The continuous back was obtained by fitting the members together with a cut-out to accommodate a tapered wood pin that, once inserted, locked each part firmly in place. A lacquer coat was then applied to the surface crest rail so as to make invisible the underlying joinery. The complexity of this technique called for utmost precision, since any slight error in the angle of any of the joints was magnified by the adjoining members; see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, pp.43-45.The present chair is distinguished by the attractively-figured grain on the backsplat and the precise carving of the ruyi-form medallions. Quanyi chairs were either left undecorated or carved on the splats and aprons with raised designs, such as the present seat. The subjects selected to decorate such chairs included interlocking archaistic designs, floral scrolls, entwined chilong and writhing dragons. According to Robert Ellsworth, these designs were an innovation of the late Ming period; see R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture. Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, New York, 1971, p.86. The author further observes the similarities between the curvilinear apron of quanyi chairs, which the present example also displays, with its counterpart found on Tang period tables, such as the example in the Shōsōin Treasure House, Nara, illustrated by S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkley, 2001, pl.12.6.Compare with a single huanghuali horseshoe-back armchair, 17th century, similarly decorated with finely-carved ruyi medallions enclosing pairs of sinuous chilong, formerly in the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, which was sold at Christie's New York, 18 March 2015, lot 139. See also a pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back chairs, 17th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 16 March 2017, lot 607.圈椅扶手三接，兩端出頭迴轉收尾。靠背板上端作葵形開光，內鏟地浮雕雙螭圖。後腿上截出榫納入圈形彎弧扶手，下穿過椅盤成為腿足，鵝脖與前腿足亦相同造法。扶手與鵝脖間打槽嵌入小角牙，扶手左右支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。椅盤下的券口牙板浮雕卷草紋，並沿輪廓線起一道陽線為飾，兩側面則裝光素的券口牙子。腿間施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素牙子。質量輕便、結構堅實的圈椅是明清時期最為經典的家用坐具之一，無論場合是否正式皆可適用，並常見於明代書籍版畫插圖之中。圈椅還可用作高階官員的轎椅，作為其尊貴身份的象徵，見柯律格著，《Chinese Furniture》，倫敦，1988年，頁24。圈椅因其圓而細的月牙扶手而得名。明代工匠通過複雜的楔釘榫造法，在硬木上復刻出竹篾彎曲的效果，傳達出豐盈且平衡的圓潤之美。楔釘榫是將兩片榫頭盡端有小舌的榫頭合掌式地交搭，小舌入槽後要能緊緊貼合，使榫頭不能上下移動，然後在搭口中部剔鑿方孔，將一枚斷面為方形的頭粗而尾稍細的楔釘貫穿過去，使এ... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY FINE PAIR OF HUANGHUALI HORSESHOE-BACK ARMCHAIRS, QUANYI17th centuryEach elegantly modelled with a curving toprail sloping down to the arms supported on serpentine side posts and terminating in a curved hook beyond the corner-posts set with shaped spandrels, the backsplat carved with a ruyi-shaped panel enclosing a curling chilong, the back corner-posts continuing below the rectangular frame set with a matted seat, to the back legs joined by three stretchers and a footrest with plain apron. 102cm high (40 1/8in) x 61cm (24in) wide x 48cm (18 7/8in) deep. (2).Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨圈椅成對Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏Elegant lines and generous yet balanced proportions characterise this magnificent pair of huanghuali armchairs. Chairs displaying this graceful silhouette were frequently portrayed in Ming and Qing dynasty woodblock illustrations depicting their use in various domestic and official settings, such as dining rooms, scholars' studios and entertaining halls. Whenever a representation of a banquet shows both round-backed and square-backed armchairs in use, it is the latter which were occupied by the more eminent guests. Quanyi armchairs denoted high status and were reserved for eminent officials and magistrates. During the late Ming period, these seats bore the imposing name of 'Grand Tutor Chairs' taishi yi. For a fuller discussion about horseshoe-back armchairs, see C.Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1988, p.24. See also R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasty, New York, 1971, pp.86-87.The inviting capacious arched crestrails were inspired by chairs of nearly-identical shape but made of pliable lengths of bamboo, which were bent into a 'U'-shape and bound together using natural fibers. These chairs display the ingenuity of Ming dynasty cabinet makers, who were able to create a hardwood version by developing complicated joinery techniques. The continuous back was thus obtained by fitting together the separate members with a cut-out to accommodate a tapered wood pin that locked them firmly in place once inserted. This elaborate design called for utmost precision, as the smallest error in the angle of any of the joints would be emphasised by the adjoining members. A lacquer coat was finally applied to the surface crestrail so that the underlying joinery was not visible and virtually impossible to wrest apart.The superb present pair of armchairs displays large arching crestrails ending in pronounced scrolling hand grips, graceful and vigorous outlines for the shaped aprons, and refined quality of carving for the splat medallions and aprons. The crisp angular scrollwork may be an innovation introduced during the late Ming/Qing dynasty. This feature may have been inspired by designs found on archaic bronzes, thus reflecting the interest in antiquarianism shared by the scholarly elites of the late 17th century; see R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture. Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, New York, 1971, p.86.A related huanghuali chair, 17th century, formerly in the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, was sold at Christie's New York, 18 March 2015, lot 139.月牙扶手曲線優美，兩端出頭迴轉收尾。靠背板上端開光浮雕螭龍紋，後腿上截出榫納入圈形彎弧扶手，下穿過椅盤成為腿足，鵝脖與前腿足亦相同造法。扶手與鵝脖間打槽嵌入小角牙，扶手左右支以三彎聯幫棍。籐編座面，椅盤下的券口牙板浮雕卷草紋，兩側面則裝素券口牙子。腿間施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素牙子。圈椅常見於明清兩代的木刻版畫中，造形大器美觀，線條流暢，適用於廳堂或居家各類場合。有關圈椅用途的詳細論述可見柯律格著，《Chinese Furniture》，倫敦，1988年，頁24，以及安思遠著，《Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasties》，紐約，1971年，頁86-87。圈椅因其圓而細的月牙扶手而得名。明代工匠通過複雜的楔釘榫造法，在硬木上復刻出竹篾彎曲的效果，傳達出豐盈且平衡的圓潤之美。此對黃花梨圈椅線條簡約，比例得當，色澤溫潤，盡顯傳統手藝的精工細作。券口牙板的浮雕卷草紋或源自青銅禮器紋飾，反映了十七世紀晚期文人階層的崇古思潮。安思遠認為，此種複古的紋飾設計是為晚明至康熙時期的創新，見安思遠著，《Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasties》，紐約，1971年，頁86。安氏舊藏一具十七世紀黃花梨圈椅，售於紐約佳士得，2015年3月18日，拍品編號139，可資參考。... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY FINE AND RARE HUANGHUALI YOKEBACK ARMCHAIR, GUANMAOYI17th centuryWith a well-carved protruding crestrail supported on a broad S-shaped splat and curved rear posts continuing to form the rear legs, the curved arms supported on tapering stiles and curved front posts continuing through the seat frame to form the front legs, the seat frame enclosing a soft-mat seat above a shaped apron and spandrels, the legs joined by stepped stretchers on the sides and a footrest on the front. 115cm (45 2/8in) high x 59cm (23 2/8in) wide x 44cm (17 3/8in) deep. Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨四出頭彎材官帽椅Provenance: Grace Wu Bruce, Hong Kong Sotheby's London, 13 May 2015, lot 115An important European private collection來源：香港古董商嘉木堂倫敦蘇富比，2015年5月13日，拍品編號115歐洲重要私人收藏Huanghuali yokeback armchairs such as the present example convey timeless elegance through the simplicity and balance of their lines which represents spare but opulent aesthetic of the Ming elite. They are distinguished by their large size, the generous sweep of the crestrail, well-shaped terminals and elegantly-curved front and back posts. The remarkable level of carpentry of this chair is also visible in the plain S-shaped back splat, which is carved from the same piece of wood and tongue-and-grooved into the underside of the top rail and tenoned to the back member of the seat frame. In addition, only four pieces of wood were used for the four verticals of the front legs and front arm-posts, back legs and back posts, with each vertical passing through the frame of the seat. Referring to the winged hat of the formal attire worn by Ming officials, the term guanmaoyi conveyed status and authority associated with the highest-ranking classes in China. Prior to the Ming dynasty, yokeback armchairs served as seats for Imperial family members and deities. Gaozong's empress (Gaozong r. 1127-1162), for example, is depicted gracefully seated on a yokeback armchair in one of a series of portraits of Song dynasty Imperial figures in the National Palace Museum, Taipei; see S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Classical Chinese Furniture, London, 2001, p.46, fig.4.4.Illustrations included in literary sources of the Ming and Qing dynasties frequently show armchairs like the present example next to large tables in sumptuous reception halls, and beside writing tables in a scholar's studio. See, for example, a woodblock print in the 1616 edition of the 'Golden Lotus' Jin Ping Mei, depicting the main male character and his principal wife seated on a guanmaoyi chair while dining with his secondary wives and concubines seated on stools, illustrated by C.Clunas, 'The Novel Jin Ping Mei as a Source for the Study of Ming Furniture, in Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-2003, Hong Kong, 2004, p.118, fig.8. For a general discussion about the basic model and decorative vocabulary of guanmaoyi armchairs, see C.Evarts, 'From Ornate to Unadorned', Journal of the Chinese Classical Furniture Society, Spring, 1993, pp.24-33.Compare with a nearly-identical huanghuali yokeback armchair, late 16th-early 17th century, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated by N.Berliner, 'When Vernacular Meets Fine: Thoughts on Chinese Furniture Studies', Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999, Hong Kong, 1999, pp.215, fig.11. A similar huanghuali yokeback chair, 17th century, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 20 March 2012, lot 127.主體以圓材製作，素面三彎靠背板嵌入搭腦下方與椅盤後大邊槽口，後腿上截穿過椅盤作肩出榫納入彎弧搭腦，三彎弧形的扶手同樣作肩出榫接合後腿上截，前方接前腿鵝脖，穿過椅盤成前腿足，中間支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。椅盤為格角榫攢邊框，抹頭見透榫，邊抹冰盤沿上舒下斂底壓窄邊線，四框內緣踩邊打眼造軟屜。座面下安券口牙子，沿邊起線，上方齊頭碰椅盤下面，二側嵌入腿足，底端出榫納入踏腳棖。左右兩面安相似券口牙子，後方為短牙子。腿間施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素牙子。官帽椅，顧名思義，是由於像古代官吏所戴的帽子而得名。四出頭官帽椅，以其簡潔的結構和協調的造型傳達出驚人的現代性，體現了明代文人逸士古雅雋永的美學追求。有別於更為常見的直材四出頭官帽椅，本拍品構件纖細，但彎曲程度大，製作時需用大料搜挖，以實現「柔婉」的效果，為堅硬的木材賦予了彈性之美。官帽椅歷史上常與中國統治階層的崇高地位息息相關。明代以前，官帽椅多用作皇室貴冑之坐具。台北國立故宮博物院館藏一件宋高宗後坐像，描繪了高宗皇后端&... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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