Page 287 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

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propertY From a north amerICan prIVate inset with nanmu burlwood panels, the top of applied hinges, the clean lines of the cabinet
CoLLeCtIon standard construction enclosing two softwood are not interfered with. the rectangular metal
A ‘HUANGHUALI’ AND ‘HUAMU’ floating panels, the interior fitted with two plates with their lock receptacles and door
ROUND-CORNER WOOD-HINGED shelves, the lower over a pair of drawers, the pulls not only serve a practical function, but
CABINET (YUANJIAOGUI) door frame members and the central stile fitted are also judiciously placed as decoration for
the otherwise completely plain piece. sloping-
with three curved rectangular baitong plates
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY with three square lock receptacles above three stile wood-hinged cabinets are masterpiece of
rectangular door pulls Chinese cabinet makers.
of rectangular section, the four main stiles height 43 in., 109.2 cm; Width 32 in, 81.3 cm;
molded and beaded on the three outside Depth 17¼ in., 43.8 cm Compare a pair of cupboards with a similar use
corners, the doors flanking the removable of contrasting woods, burlwood door panels
central stile and of standard mitered frame one of the most ingenious and beautiful and structural panels of huanghuali from the
construction, each frame member and the designs of classic Chinese furniture is the collection of Charlotte horstmann, illustrated
central stile molded with a raised half round sloping-stile, wood-hinged cabinet. the four in robert h. ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, new
center edged by a flat narrow beaded band, main stiles are recessed from the corners of the York, 1970, pl. 122. another smaller example is
the outside stiles molded and finishing on top and slope gently outward in a subtle, almost illustrated in Grace Wu Bruce, Two Decades of
an extended dowel, fitted into sockets in the imperceptible splay. this simple design feature Ming Furniture, Beijing, 2010, pl. 217.
underside of the frame top and the horizontal gives the cabinet its refined elegance and a
shaped stretcher mortised and tenoned into sense of balance and stability. ◉ $ 40,000-50,000
the main stiles below the doors, each door inset the doors, with extended dowels on both ends,
with a beautifully figured, nanmu burlwood fit into sockets in the cabinet frame members 清十八世紀 黃花梨癭木門圓角櫃
panel with two dovetailed transverse braces and act as hinges. Free from the necessity of
tenoned into the door frame, the sides similarly

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