A pair of 'huanghuali' horseshoe-back armchairs (Quanyi), 17th century | 明末清初 黃花梨圈椅一對

The provenance of this lot should be: Grace Wu Bruce (according to labels). 本拍品來源應為：嘉木堂（標簽） This lot contains endangered species. Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. For example, US regulations restrict or prohibit the import of certain items to protect wildlife conservation. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with the shipment of this lot to the US. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation. 此編號含有瀕臨絕種物料。蘇富比建議買家在投標之前，先理解有關地方政府的入口限制。如美國為保護野生動物而對有關材質所實行的出入口規條及限制。蘇富比將不會協助此編號運往美國的運輸。買家無權因為未能得到出入口許可而取消拍賣及延遲付款。

Frequently depicted in Ming and Qing dynasty woodblock illustrations, chairs of this elegant silhouette were commonly produced in sets of two or four and used while dining, painting or receiving guests. With the addition of two carrying poles, they were converted into sedan chairs reserved for officials of high rank, and as mentioned in Craig Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1988, p. 24, they were considered 'markers of high status, seats of honour'. The inviting capacious arched crestrails were inspired by chairs of nearly identical shape but made of pliable lengths of bamboo, bent into a U-shape and bound together using natural fibers. Highly popular for their lightweight, sturdy and strong appearance, cabinet makers cleverly adapted this design to the rarer, more costly hardwood furniture by creating ingenious joinery techniques. In order to create the continuous back, members were fitted together with a cut-out to accommodate a tapered wood pin that would lock them firmly in place when inserted. The complexity of the design required utmost precision, as a slight error in the tilt of any of the joins would be magnified by the adjoining members. Once the lacquered coat was applied to the surface crestrail, the underlying joinery was not visible and virtually impossible to wrest apart. For further discussion on this design, see Robert Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, New York, 1970, pp. 86-87, and Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol. 1, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 43-45. A similar pair of horseshoe back armchairs with a plain backrest and shaped apron, sold at Christie's New York, 24th March 2023, lot 1151. See also a pair with plain back slat sold in our New York rooms 15th March 2016, lot 41 and more recently, 25th November 2022, lot 518, from the collection of the Reverend Richard Fabian.