A Pair of Rare Imperial Chinese Huanghuali Armchairs with Dragons, 18 Century. Huanghuali is amongst the most valued hardwood in China, appreciated for its vibrant colour, impressive grain pattern and light sweet fragrance. During the Ming and Qing dynasties it was used for making high quality furniture and craftsmen took full advantage of its distinct qualities to create smooth and plain surfaces that retained much of the material?s natural beauty. The highest quality huanghuali, also known by its Chinese botanical name Hainan jiangxiang huangtan, comes from Hainan and is known for its wide range of colouration from light yellow to purplish-red. By the Qing dynasty, huanghuali became especially treasured by the imperial court and was frequently used for the production of imperial furniture. On the panels are carved dragons with 5 claws flying in the clouds, at the base of the armchairs, dragons in pursuit of the pearl. Bats, the image of a bat means happiness, luck and is a talisman of longevity. In ancient China, a bat embroidered on an official's clothes emphasized its high status and then the mouse was embroidered in red. And now this is a very common element of the figure on the tissues. At present, in China, the bat (like many other symbols) is a very common symbol of luck and wealth. Condition THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT. CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION 3 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE.