A huanghuali folding chair, jiaoyi18th/ 19th century
99cm H, 73cm W, 61cm D注脚Provenance:
Private collection, Sydney, acquired in Hong Kong during the 1990s

First developed during the Song dynasty, the folding armchair had become a designated seat of honour in the households of the ruling and upper class by the Ming dynasty. Their design reaching a pinnacle during the 16th and 17th century, these chairs are almost identical in form, dimensions and proportions, with a variety of carving decorations in their backsplats, leg curves, and seat aprons.

A minimalist approach has been taken in this example in the above mentioned components, their outlines traced with 'scrolling cloud' edges in low relief. This contrasts the fully decorated metal mounts with uniformly engraved 'scrolling lotus' against ring-punched grounds.

A similarly designed folding armchair, with simplistic carving and elaborated metalwork was sold with Christie's, New York, Fine Chinese Furniture, Ceramics and Works of Art, 16 October 2001, sale 9734, lot 254.

清十八至十九世紀 黃花梨素紋交椅

傳承：
悉尼私人收藏，九十年代間購於香港

交椅源於宋，興盛於明代，沿用至有清。在等級森嚴的封建社會，坐交椅乃是身分、地位的高貴象徵。故俗語所謂「穩坐頭把交椅」，即以身下座位影射主人身分。其設計及工藝於明末清初臻於完美，形制、尺寸、及各部比例均有定式，椅背、角牙、牙頭等細部彫花紋飾多樣。

本件交椅在上述部位設計極其簡約，只用浮雕卷雲紋勾勒外延。與之形成強烈對比的是滿工的包銅加固件，以洋蓮紋刻於魚子紋地。繁簡相得益彰，不落俗套。比較一類似極簡木材雕工對比繁複金屬飾藝的交椅，見佳士得，紐約，Fine Chinese Furniture, Ceramics and Works of Art, 2001年10月16日，拍號9734，拍品254.