A set of four Chinese huang-huali chairs probably late 17th century and for the European Market

with carved detail to each back in the manner of Daniel Marot

This interesting group of chairs are consigned by the wife of a now deceased private collector and artist who acquired them at some point at auction in the 1950s in London. They were used in their home as dining chairs and are now being sold due to a recent house move. Generally each chair is solid and of bold proportions. The quality of the carving to each back panel is of particular quality. The colour of the timber is rich and has a lovely built up patina, that will improve greatly after a sensitive polish. Each front barley twist stretcher has wear from rubbing, as mentioned in the footnote. This denotes age and is from human feet resting on this component. it is the sort of wear evidenced on English 17th century seat furniture. This wear gives the chairs great atmosphere, these bars are solid and not loose.The carved cresting rail has traces of wear to the reverse of each back. The spiral twist uprights are good. Some of the carved back panels with ancient splits, hard to see and again each of these exquisitely carved panels is soundly fixed and not loose. The seats are wide and of bold proportions. Interestingly to the reverse of each seat frame on the underside of each chair there are filled holes, These suggest that each chair may well have had a cane seat, these holes though cannot be seen on the visible seat frames or surface. Each seat with typical separations from where the timber panels are joined or splits from age. Each seat with some old marks and scratches totally consistent with age and use. The timber is attractively figured. Each seat panel is set into a mitred frame, there are some insertions of timber around this frame, these old repairs are either from the time of manufacture or are very old. The base of each is generally good, although there is evidence of old repairs (traces of residual glue or timber filler around tenon sites and very small gaps at joints). The pear shaped feet with wear and some very minor chips - although each chair is of even stance.To summarise, a chic and yet academic set of four chairs, which are of high quality and have a weighty feel. The wear and condition denotes their age. Essentially 'ready to place' but may require a clean and polish subject to taste.
"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."

These rare chairs represent an extraordinary stylistic fusion between 'Eastern' and 'Western' seat furniture. They are of a classic Chinese finely worked 'bentwood' form, and relate to historic examples from the Ming period, with shaped segmented back splats and seat panels set within mitred frames. The timber employed, huang-huali is an ancient and richly figured wood often seen in Chinese furniture of high status and used here to superb effect. There are distinctly European flourishes though. A boldly carved cresting rail, turned legs and stretchers and exquisitely carved back panels; all of which relate to Anglo-Dutch furniture from the late 17th century. The chairs offered here would certainly appear to pre-date other Chinese types inspired by European designs. Interestingly there are types of Colonial seat furniture from Ceylon and the Coromandel Coast worthy of comparison. These chairs were historically referred to as 'Antiquarian' or 'Cromwellian' and clearly linked to those regions; most notably through the use of ebony and cane. Perhaps the offered lot is a Chinese variant of this 'Antiquarian' type that was produced from the late 17th century until the 19th century. The wear to the turned huang-huali elements, an extremely hard timber, does suggest great age and that they are from the earlier end of this spectrum. Certainly Daniel Marot's designs from which the motifs used in the back splat are drawn, were widely circulated from the 17th century onwards. The offered chairs may well have been a specific commission by a wealthy European working in or with a connection to China within this period.