Chinese Furniture: A Guide to Collecting Antiques

492 Pages·2012·24.28 MB·English

by  Karen Mazurkewich

Chinese Furniture
Eight-panel interior screen, huanghuali and semiprecious inlay and pierced panels, eighteenth
century, North China. Photo courtesy Peter Fung.
A pair of horseshoe-back armchairs soften, yet complement, the cubist geometry and warm,
natural colors of this soaring modern villa in China.

To Martin, Haleh and Yasmeen
First published in 2006 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial
offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759 U.S.A. and 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-
12, Singapore 534167.
Text © 2006 Karen Mazurkewich
Photos © 2006 Andrew Chester Ong and Periplus Editions (Hong Kong) Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without prior permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Control Number 2004114427
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0692-5 (ebook)
Design: Holger Jacobs and Wiesia Power at Mind Design
Printed in Singapore
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Tuttle Publishing, 364 Innovation Drive,
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Contemporary adaptation of a Ming scholar’s room by John Ang.
A living scholar’s studio. Inside Cola Ma’s home in Tianjin.
Contents
8 Chinese Furniture: A Renaissance
14 Evolving Styles
30 Classifying Chinese Furniture
Style 32
Wood 32
Types of Wood 34
Rarity and Age 37
Carving, Workmanship and Symbolism 41
Decoration in Chinese Furniture 42
Joints 47
48 Chairs
Yoke-back Armchairs 52
Southern Official's Hat Armchairs 54
Lamphanger Chairs 60
Rose Chairs 61
Horseshoe-back Armchairs 63
Folding Armchairs 67
Qing-style Armchairs 70
Western-influenced Chairs 71
74 Stools and Benches
88 Tables and Desks
Recessed-leg Painting Tables 90
Side or Wine Tables 93
Flush-sided Corner Leg Tables 95
Waisted Corner Leg Tables 96
Altar Tables 96
Square Tables 98
Kang Tables 99
High Tea Tables and Stands 102
Pedestal Tables 103
Coffer Tables 104
Round Tables 106
Qin Tables 108
Gaming Tables 108
Desks 109
110 Beds
Day Beds 113
Couch Beds 114
Canopy and Alcove Beds 116
120 Cabinets and Bookshelves
Square-corner Cabinets 122
Compound Cabinets 129
Sloping-stile Cabinets 130
Bookshelves 134
Display Cabinets 136
Lacquer Furniture 138
140 Doors and Screens
150 Household Accessories
Candlestick Stands and Lanterns 151
Braziers 155
Shrines 155
Garment Racks and Washstands 156
Mirror Stands 158
Clothing Chests 158
Tiered Boxes and Tea Containers 158
Document Boxes 160
Stationery Trays and Gaming Boards 160