A Fine Pair of Huanghuali Square-Corner Cupboards on stands, Ligui 17th/18th Century

each of rectangular box construction with square corners, the pair of doors set with flush baitong hinges and a lock plate, all above a horizontal cusped panel profusely carved with a pair of long-tailed birds amidst scrolling foliage and an apron carved with chilong and ruyi, the sides and reverse with cusped apron, supported on cabriole legs terminating in hoof feet, the interior with two shelves one containing three drawers

Purchased from Hei Hung-Lu, Hong Kong, late 1980s/early 1990s.

This fine pair of cabinets are in very good condition with the exception of replaced metalwork, a small patch by the top right door hinge on one cabinet, small nicks to the front edge of the bottom shelf of both and general surface wear commensurate with age.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Pairs of large cabinets such as the present were the piece de resistance of rooms for their monumental size and stately design. Known as sijiangui (‘four part wardrobes’) or dingxiangligui (‘top cupboards and upright wardrobes’) for their two lower and two upper sections, they were created to be placed side by side to form an elegant appearance of a double mitre, opposite each other or symmetrically along a wall separated by a door or a small coffer. The attractive curves of the cabriole legs suggest that these cabinets would have been placed symmetrically in a wealthy woman’s apartment rather than side by side, and the decorative carved surfaces heighten the natural beauty of the wood on the broad flat surfaces of the wardrobes.

 

The traditional method of caring for Chinese garments is revealed in the structure of cabinets. For centuries garments were fashioned so they could always be easily folded into flat, rectangular piles that were ready to wear. The main vertical creases and faint horizontal creases were not considered unsightly or detract from elegance. As seen in the present cabinet, wardrobes with aprons usually contained a hidden compartment whereby a flat piece of wood was laid inside the bottom which could be lifted out and items less frequently used or accessories could be stored inside.

 

Compare a huanghuali cabinet of similar size, carved with floral scrolls and mythical creatures on the apron, stretcher and frame, from the Feng Wen Tang collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3^rd June 2015, lot 2833; and a smaller zitan and huanghuali example, from the Liang Yi collection, included in the exhibition Splendor of Style. Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, National Museum of History, Taipei, 1999, cat no. 179.  

 

A pair of huanghuali dingxiangligui wardrobes, complete with their upper sections, but with plain aprons, straight legs and circular plaque fittings, from the collection of Fredric Mueller, illustrated in R.H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, pl. 130, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27^th November 1991, lot 237; and a single example with cloud-motif handles and hinges was sold in our New York rooms, 28^th May 1991, lot 376.