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A PAIR OF ‘HUANGHUALI’ COMPOUND A pair of similar size from the Frederic Mueller Collection
CABINETS (SIJIANGUI) is illustrated in Robert H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, New
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY York, 1970, pl. 130. Another pair of this form is illustrated in
Robert H. Ellsworth, Nicholas Grindley and Anita Christy,
(4) Chinese Furniture, One Hundred Examples from the Raymond
Height 96 in., 243.8 cm; Width 36¾ in., 93.3 cm; and Mimi Hung Collection, New York, 1996, cat. no. 73. A
Depth 17¼ in., 43.8 cm third pair from the Dr. S.Y. Yip Collection is illustrated in
Grace Wu Bruce, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and Romance
PROVENANCE with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S.Y. Yip Collection of Classic
Jacques Barrère S.A., Paris, 1990. Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991, cat. no. 46. Compare
also a pair from the collection of Reverend Richard Fabian,
Known as sijiangui (four-part wardrobes), these massive sold in these rooms, 15th March 2016, lot 42.
two-part cabinets were generally made and displayed in
pairs. Robes and large items would have been stored in the
spacious lower cabinets, with smaller items reserved for ◉ $ 70,000-90,000
the top, which being so high up often necessitated the use
of a ladder. The two sections also allowed for a dual usage, 清十八世紀 黃花梨四件櫃一對
the top piece to be placed on floor level when required. This
would explain why there are so few surviving examples as 來源
separate placements meant they were easily dislocated.
Jacques Barrère S.A.，巴黎，1990年

140 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N11074 141