Page 51 - Christies March 16, 2017 The Varata Collection NYC

~604 十七世紀 黃花梨火盆架

A RARE RECTANGULAR HUANGHUALI BRAZIER 來源
STAND, HUOPENJIA 恆藝館，香港
瑪麗．泰瑞莎．維勒泰(1923-2015)珍藏
17TH CENTURY
The top has a circular aperture and is carved with molded edge, above a short waist 舊時火盆為冬日取暖，溫酒或其它食物之活動式火爐，為日常生活必備品。使
and beaded, shaped aprons. The elegant cabriole legs terminate in scroll-form feet; 用時將燒熱的煤塊盛於金屬火盆内，再置於火盆架上。炙熱的煤塊經常會導致
together with a baitong brazier. 火盆架損傷，尤以木製火盆架為最，故如此例以黃花梨為木料之火盆架特別罕
見。參考一件黃花梨鑲白銅三彎腿卷葉足火盆架，於紐約佳士得 Auspicious
10 in. (25.4 cm.) high, 16 in. (40.6 cm.) square Treasures From the Blumenfield Collection 拍賣拍出，2012年3月22日，
拍品編號1311。另可參考一黃花梨配櫸木之例，其四角飾獸面紋，架面鑲白銅，
$30,000-50,000 其時稱之爲方座，於紐約佳士得中國古典家具博物館館藏拍賣拍出，1996年9月
19日，拍品編號77。
PROVENANCE
關於火盆架之論述，見王世襄《明清家具研究》，香港，1990年，卷一，100
Ever Arts Gallery, Hong Kong. 頁。另可參考Sarah Handler著“Perfumed Coals in Precious Braziers
The Marie Theresa L. Virata (1923-2015) Collection. Burn”，Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture，柏克
萊，2001年，19章，319-331頁。
Used to provide heat on cold winter days and as portable stoves for heating wine
and delicacies, braziers were essential to everyday life. Hot coals were placed in
metal warming pans which were set within the brazier stand. The extreme heat
generated by the coals often damaged the brazier stands. Wooden brazier stands,
such as the present example, were especially susceptible to damage, making this
huanghuali example extremely rare. A baitong-mounted square huanghuali brazier,
also raised on cabriole legs and terminating in scroll-form feet, was sold at Christie’s
New York, Auspicious Treasures From the Blumenfeld Collection, 22 March 2012,
lot 1311.See, also, another huanghuali and jumu example carved with lion-masks at
the corner and with shaped baitong mounts, described as a stand, sold at Christie’s
New York, Important Chinese Furniture Formerly the Museum of Classical Chinese
Furniture Collection, 19 September 1996, lot 77.

For a discussion of brazier stands (huopenjia), see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship
of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, vol. I, p. 100.
Refer, also, Sarah Handler, “Perfumed Coals in Precious Braziers Burn,” Austere
Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley, 2001, ch. 19, pp. 319-331.

THE MARIE THERESA L. V I R ATA C O L L E C T I O N OF ASIAN ART: A FAMILY LEGACY 49