Pair of huanghuali armchairs

A fine pair of horseshoe armchairs made from very attractive pale golden-brown wood with a strong tinge of yellow. This type of chairs are called quan yi - round chair. The present examples are cosy and well proportioned for sitting - some quan yi are not so comfortable, but this pair with its S-shaped back splat is perfectly designed for modern use.

The through carved backsplat shows the fantastic lively mytological animal: qilin. Over this is a ruyi inclosing a fine dragon and cub. The splat design is known from a small number of armshairs including a folding armchair - but the workshop is still unknown. The carving work is exclusively executed.

The pair has an unusual feature: the vertical aprons alongside the rear supports. Some scholars consider this being a Shanxi province design, but no evidence for this theory has yet been found. However, it is a beautiful and rare asset to the design of the chair.

The soft seats have been renewed, otherwise no other original parts have been substituted. The total height of the chairs is 99 cm, seat height is 51½ cm.

This pair is dated to the first half of the Qing period.

It is important to note that the two chairs are born as a pair due to the fact that the qilin in the two splats are facing each others when the chairs are placed correctly side by side.

Item no. 106

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Available photos:

a single armchair of the pair | close up of the back splat | close up of the finely carved Qilin | the unusual vertical apron | side view of one of the chairs | chair seen from behind | - and here is the pair of quan yi | bottom view of one of the chairs |

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