Page 146 - Christies March 16, 2017 The Varata Collection NYC

~640 明末/清十八世紀 紫檀四出頭官帽椅成對

A VERY RARE PAIR OF ZITAN ‘OFFICIAL’S HAT’ 來源
ARMCHAIRS, SICHUTOUGUANMAOYI 陳勝記，香港
寒舍，台北
17TH-18TH CENTURY 恆藝館，香港
瑪麗·泰瑞莎·L·維勒泰 (1923-2015) 珍藏
Each has a well-carved, protruding crestrail supported on a broad S-shaped splat
and elegantly curved rear stiles which continue to form the rear legs. The curved 文獻
arms are supported on tapering, curved vertical braces and curved front posts 蔡辰洋，《古典紫檀家具》，台北，1996年，34頁
which continue through the seat frame to form the front legs. The molded seat 《Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999》，
frame encloses a mat seat, above fnely beaded, cusped aprons and spandrels. 香港，1999年，封底廣告
The legs are joined by stepped stretchers at the sides and a foot rest at the front.
田家青著《紫檀緣―悅華軒藏清代家具與珍玩》一書中，藏家李超華在序言中寫
45æ in. (116.2 cm.) high, 24Ω in. (62.2cm.) wide, 21Ω in. (54.6 cm.) deep (2) 道：「紫檀是世上最名貴的木材之一。我喜歡紫檀，原因卻不僅為此。紫檀生長
緩慢，八百年以上纔能成材，可說是要得天時地利，纔能滋養出這種木材。也許
$800,000-1,200,000 是飽吸靈氣之故，紫檀分量重，色澤深沉，棕眼細密，溫潤如玉，光彩深邃。它
瑰麗而內斂，有情趣卻穩重」
PROVENANCE
「四出頭」官帽椅，即搭腦及扶手皆伸探出頭，而非採用與前後腿彎轉相交之製
Chang Shing Kee, Hong Kong. 式，在黃花梨家具中相當普遍，紫檀者則極爲罕見。同類黃花梨製椅，退一步齋
My Humble House, Taipei. 藏有一例，見《風華再現―明清家具收藏展》，國立歷史博物館，臺北，1999
Ever Arts Gallery, Hong Kong. 年，82頁。具備此晚明風格之紫檀例有二，其一為觀復博物館藏，並收錄於馬未
The Marie Theresa L. Virata (1923-2015) Collection. 都編《坐具的文明》，2011年，45頁；其二為古木香家具有限公司藏，見《古
木神韻―古木香珍藏明清家具》，天津，2005年，74―75頁。本對官帽椅輪廓
LITERATURE 典雅別致，比例近乎完美，以上眾例與之相比，均略遜一籌。

Tsai C.Y., Zitan: The Most Noble Hardwood, My Humble House Publications, Taipei,
1996, p. 34.
Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999, Magnum (Ofset)
Printing Co. Ltd, Hong Kong, 1999, back of catalogue advertisement.

In his introduction to Tian Jiaqing’s Destiny with Zitan: Yue Hua Xuan’s Collection
of Fine Qing Furniture and Items, Lee Chiu Wah states “zitan is one of the most
valuable types of timber in the world. I like zitan, but not only for this reason. Zitan
has a slow growth cycle. It takes over 800 years before it can be harvested. It is
said that zitan can only survive with the help of heaven and earth. Perhaps because
it absorbs so much spiritual essence of heaven and earth, zitan is heavy in specifc
weight, dark in colour, dense in grain, smooth and subtle as jade, and is elegant
and sophisticated.”

This form of armchair, with “four exposed ends” to the yoke and arms cut-of square
rather than round, is well known in huanghuali but virtually unknown in zitan. A
huanghuali example from the collection of ‘Take One Step Back’ Studio is illustrated
in Splendour of Style: Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties,
National Museum of History, Taipei, 1999, p. 82. Two published zitan examples in
this distinctly late Ming style are found in the collection of the Guanfu Museum,
illustrated by Ma Weidu (ed.), The Culture of the Chinese Seat, China, 2011, p. 45
and another illustrated in Romantic Charm of Ancient Woodwork, the Tianjin City,
Gumuxiang Furniture Company Ltd. Collection, 2005, pp. 74-75. However, neither
example has the same grace as the present pair, which are distinguished by their
elegant profle and almost perfect proportions.

144 THE MARIE THERESA L. V I R ATA C O L L E C T I O N OF ASIAN ART: A FAMILY LEGACY