A large lacquered elm couch with openwork rails Qing dynasty, 18th / 19th Century

with soft matted seat set on a frame with high straight waist carved with T-form fretwork in raised grooved beading above a mock-bamboo filet, and rounded apron of shaped and cusped profile accented with 'flaming pearl' pendant and sinuous vegetal fluted cusps, the cabriole legs of squared section terminating in hoof feet with base pads and three 'ball-and leaf' accents, the openwork rails with archaistic dragon fretwork at the front, interlocked brick-diaper at the sides centered by shou medallions, and along the back with square-diaper of open crosses interrupted by central shou medallions and two panels of Buddhist luohan figures, the vertical supporting posts set with lotus bud finials