A Pair of Huanghuali Rectangular Corner-Leg Stools, Fangdeng Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

each with mat seat set in a rectangular framed top with ice-plate edge above a straight waist and simple beaded apron, supported on elegant square section beaded legs terminating in hoof feet and joined by humpback stretchers

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

The pair of stools are in good condition with the exception of replaced hard matt seats, possibly replaced trimming strips, replaced seat struts, one apron replaced on one stool and minor surface scratches and 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."

This pair of waisted huanghuali stools is notable for their sturdy appearance achieved through the square-section legs that end in horse-hoof feet. Stools of this classical form with humpbacked stretchers were produced in large numbers from the Ming dynasty (1369-1644) onwards, as their small size and light weight made them highly versatile. George N. Kates in Chinese Household Furniture, New York, 1948, notes that in the Tang dynasty (618-907) the stool in all its varieties ‘was considered the ideal seat for a woman, displaying as it did the curve of her back, her neck, and her shoulders to best advantage, while yet it was considered modest for her to seat herself’ (see p. 49).

A set of four stools of this square waisted form and with humpbacked stretchers from the S.Y. Yip collection, was included in the exhibition Ming Furniture. The Dr S.Y. Yip Collection, Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 2015, cat. no. 11; another set, in the Tseng Riddell collection, was included in the exhibition Splendor of Style. Classical Chinese Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, National Museum of History, Taipei, 1999, pp. 64-66; a pair from the collection of Dr Karl Benno Gruber, was sold in our New York rooms, 18^th September 2007, lot 77; and another pair from the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, was sold at Christie’s New York, 18^th March 2015, lot 130. See also the similar pair of waisted stools offered in this sale, lot 3.