CHINA, 17TH CENTURY

Lightweight, simple in design, and compact, folding stools were a practical alternative for seating when traveling or hunting. First introduced by nomadic tribes of the Northern and Western regions during the Han dynasty (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.), folding stools have X-frame round-section legs joined by metal pivot pins, secured into flat feet and seat rails at the bottom and top, respectively. A woven seat spans the rails, offering both support and comfort. When in the folded position, these stools can be carried over the shoulder and were therefore a popular seat for rulers and dignitaries when traveling. A Ming-dynasty 16th-century woodblock illustration of Qiu Hua Lienu Zhaun (The Stories of Upright Woman) depicts a servant carrying a similar folding stool while accompanying a rider on horseback.

While quite rare, a handful similar huanghuali folding stools are known. A huanghuali folding stool, similarly carved with confronting chilong on the front seal rail, is illustrated by N. Berliner et al., Beyond the Screen: Chinese Furniture from the 16th and 17th Centuries, Boston, 1996, no. 2. See, also, the huanghuali folding stool in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, illustrated by R. D. Jacobsen and N. Grindley in Classical Chinese Furniture, Minneapolis, 1999, pp. 36-7, no. 1. A huanghuali folding stool, of similar size and carved with confronting chilong, from the Mimi Wong Collection, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2 May 2025, lot 967.