LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

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 chair, 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.
A pair of quanyi with carved ruyi motif on the curved back splat is 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. Another 17th-18th century quanyi was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, Classical Chinese Furniture from Heveningham Hall, 28 May 2021, lot 2813.

This item is made of a type of Dalbergia wood which is subject to CITES export/import restrictions since 2 January 2017. This item can only be shipped to addresses within Hong Kong or collected from our Hong Kong saleroom and office unless a CITES re-export permit is granted. Please contact the department for further information.