十七/十八世紀 黃花梨獨板面翹頭案

the beaded thick solid top panel with everted flanges, above a straight apron and cusped spandrels carved with notched square scrolls and archaistic dragons, each end with square section legs with out-turned feet joined by a pair of cross braces and flanking an openwork panel of a qilin and a chilong amidst rockwork and ruyi-shaped clouds, the lower brace with a cusped apron

1980年代末/1990年代初購自黑洪祿，香港

This large solid top table is in very good condition with the exception of possibly replaced central sections of the apron on both long sides, shallow chips to the edge of the top (1.5, 2, 2 and 8cm., long), small patches to the ends of the side spandrels and one patch to the front corner of one everted end, replaced drawers and minor surface scratches and typical 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."

本案以名貴黃花梨木製成，紋飾瑰麗，雕工利落，珍罕難得。如此上品，製於蘇州或北京作坊。胡德生於《故宮博物院藏明清宮廷家具大觀》，卷1，北京，2008年，頁38-40，作者論述，蘇式家具以造型典麗、線條優雅、結構秀朗、比例均稱及紋飾精巧見著，京式家具則主要由廣州藝匠來京製造。

本案腿足內縮，常見於家族宅邸接待貴客之大廳，置於牆邊，展示主人身份品味。明代文震亨（1585-1645）《長物誌圖說》稱之曰「壁卓」，並述：「飛角處不可太尖，須平圓，乃古式」。（見Craig Clunas，《Chinese Furniture》，倫敦，1988年，頁54）

本品屬翹頭案式樣，演變自祭壇供桌，東周時用作放置祭品肉食。翹頭方案，可見於東周匜上紋飾，湖北當陽趙巷春秋墓出土一翹頭漆案，圖見Sarah Handler，《Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999》，香港，1999年，頁200。直至明代，此類案用途更廣，明代書畫及木刻版畫可證。明張宏（1577年-1652年後）畫骨董鑑賞圖，以一翹頭案為畫案，並陳置古物於上，而崇禎年版品《金瓶梅》木刻版畫則畫同類翹頭案，上置香爐供器。（出處同上，圖14及6）。

可參考一例，腿足內縮、撇足、角牙雕刻相近，出自Florence and Herbert Irving 收藏，現藏於Metropolitan Museum of Art，紐約，圖見Sarah Handler，《Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture》，柏克萊，2001年，圖版14.16，同錄一例，尺寸較大，圖版14.17；另有兩例，分別售於倫敦蘇富比1987年10月30日，編號103及紐約蘇富比1989年4月18/19日，編號528；北京故宮博物院收藏一鐵梨案例，尺寸較大，圖見《A Treasury of Ming and Qing Dynasty Palace Furniture》，出處同上，圖版306。此類案亦有直足例，一例售於紐約蘇富比1989年4月18/19日，編號485。尚可參考一黃花梨例，製於十七世紀，現藏於Philadelphia Museum of Art，費城，圖載於安思遠，《Chinese Furniture. Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties》，紐約，1996年，圖版 56。

黃花梨，中國最珍重之硬木木材之一，色澤明亮，木紋典禮，微帶甜香。明清二朝用之製作上乘家具，藝匠巧用此材特質，製成家具平素光滑，古雅純樸，突顯其自然美態。又以海南降香黃檀為至上品，木色多樣，可從淺黃到紫赤。至清朝，黃花梨尤得宮廷珍視，乃御用家具之經典造材。