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Lot Essay
Horseshoe-back armchairs of this type are among the most sought after forms and are found in public and private collections. The major distinguishing feature, other than the form of these chairs, is the decorative carving found on the back splat and the apron. For discussions of this elegant form and decorative motifs of this type of chairs, see R.H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasty, New York, 1971, pp. 86-87, and Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 43-45.
One of the most notable features is the beautifully grained back splat on each of the present armchairs. Examples of huanghuali armchairs of this popular form carved with ruyi heads on the back splat, include a pair illustrated by Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts in Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, p. 56, no. 26, and later sold at Christie’s New York, 19 September 1996, lot 99; and a single huanghuali horseshoeback armchair, illustrated by R.H. Ellsworth in Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, pp. 68-69, no. 14, where it was dated to the late Ming dynasty, 17th century.
One of the most notable features is the beautifully grained back splat on each of the present armchairs. Examples of huanghuali armchairs of this popular form carved with ruyi heads on the back splat, include a pair illustrated by Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts in Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, p. 56, no. 26, and later sold at Christie’s New York, 19 September 1996, lot 99; and a single huanghuali horseshoeback armchair, illustrated by R.H. Ellsworth in Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, pp. 68-69, no. 14, where it was dated to the late Ming dynasty, 17th century.