A SET OF FOUR SMALL HUANGHUALI HORSESHOEBACK ARMCHAIRS, QUANYI

Details

A SET OF FOUR SMALL HUANGHUALI HORSESHOEBACK ARMCHAIRS, QUANYI
17TH CENTURY

The toprail forming a continuous curve to meet the 'gooseneck' front posts, the posts with inner, curvilinear, supporting spandrels of the same piece of wood and set well back from the front corners of the rectangular frame with a soft-mat seat, the plain rectangular backsplat with integral bracket-form, beaded flanges, the legs of square section terminating in neat hoof feet joined by plain aprons and low stretchers, the footrest supported by a plain apron, restoration to arms of one pair
34 3/8in. (88cm.) high, 22in. (56cm.) wide, 17in. (43cm.) deep (4)

Literature

Curtis Evarts, "Continuous Horseshoe Arms and Half-Lapped Pressure-Peg Joins", JCCFS, Spring 1991, p. 15, fig. 2, front and back covers
Sarah Handler, "Classical Chinese Furniture in the Renaissance Collection", Orientations, January 1991, p. 48, figs. 10a and 10b Wang et al., Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, p. 60, no. 28

Lot Essay

Compare the horseshoeback armchair with round toprail and arms continuing to vertical front posts illustrated by Gustav Ecke in Chinese Domestic Furniture, pl. 106 left, no. 85, and the yokeback armchair with hoof feet and round section members above the seat and square section members below, illustrated by Robert H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, p. 112, no. 5. A horseshoeback armchair with 'gooseneck' front posts, but with the ends of the round arms protruding, is illustrated by Robert H. Ellsworth, op. cit., p. 124, no. 15