A MING-STYLE HUANGHUALI THREE-DRAWER ALTAR COFFER, LIANSANCHU

Details

A MING-STYLE HUANGHUALI THREE-DRAWER ALTAR COFFER, LIANSANCHU
17TH CENTURY OR LATER

The rectangular top terminating in small, everted flanges set on slightly splayed square legs holding the top row of three drawers, each with square metal fittings above a single plain panel, the beaded stretchers with 'sword-ridge' molding, all above narrow, beaded aprons
31 7/8in. (81cm.) high, 76in. (193cm.) wide, 21¼in. (54cm.) deep

Literature

Sarah Handler, "Classical Chinese Furniture in the Renaissance Collection, Orientations, January 1991, p. 45, fig. 6
Yang Naiji, "The Beauty of Perfect Roundness", JCCFS, Summer 1993, p. 34, fig. 5
Curtis Evarts, "The Enigmatic Altar Coffer", JCCFS, Autumn 1994, p. 43, fig. 21, front and back covers
Wang et al., Masterpieces from the Classical Chinese Furniture Museum, p. 120, no. 56

Lot Essay

Refer to Robert H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, p. 163, no. 61, for a coffer of similar proportions, but without everted flanges, which is now in the Ming Room at the Astor Court, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. An example with more elaborate drawers was sold in these rooms, September 22, 1995, lot 554. For an example with two drawers see Gustav Ecke, Chinese Domestic Furniture, pl. 118, no. 97. See, also, Craig Clunas, Chinese Furniture, p. 84, pl. 67, for another coffer with two drawers, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

For a discussion of the history of the altar coffer see Evarts, "The Enigmatic Altar Coffer", JCCFS, Autumn 1994, pp. 29-44