Page 118 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

Armchairs like the present example are timeless in the simplicity and 圈椅扶手三接，兩端出頭迴轉收尾。靠背板上端作葵形開光，內鏟地
elegant balance of their lines. Known as ‘horseshoe-back armchairs’ 浮雕雙螭圖。後腿上截出榫納入圈形彎弧扶手，下穿過椅盤成為腿
quanyi, these seats are particularly attractive for the fluidity of their form 足，鵝脖與前腿足亦相同造法。扶手與鵝脖間打槽嵌入小角牙，扶手
achieved through the continuous curved crest rail that also functions 左右支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。椅盤下的券口牙板浮雕卷草
as an armrest. 紋，並沿輪廓線起一道陽線為飾，兩側面則裝光素的券口牙子。腿間
施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素牙子。
Quanyi chairs were often made in sets of two or four and are depicted
in woodblock illustrations dating to the Ming and Qing dynasty, 質量輕便、結構堅實的圈椅是明清時期最為經典的家用坐具之一，
showing their use in the context of activities related to dining, painting 無論場合是否正式皆可適用，並常見於明代書籍版畫插圖之中。圈椅
or receiving guests. Horseshoe-back chairs displayed high status and 還可用作高階官員的轎椅，作為其尊貴身份的象徵，見柯律格著，
with the addition of two carrying poles, they were easily converted into 《Chinese Furniture》，倫敦，1988年，頁24。
sedan chairs reserved for high-ranking officials; see C.Clunas, Chinese
Furniture, London, 1988, p.24. 圈椅因其圓而細的月牙扶手而得名。明代工匠通過複雜的楔釘榫造
法，在硬木上復刻出竹篾彎曲的效果，傳達出豐盈且平衡的圓潤之
The elegant design of the present seat was probably inspired by chairs 美。楔釘榫是將兩片榫頭盡端有小舌的榫頭合掌式地交搭，小舌入槽
of nearly-identical shape made of varying lengths of bamboo, which 後要能緊緊貼合，使榫頭不能上下移動，然後在搭口中部剔鑿方孔，
were subsequently bent into a ‘U’-shape and bound together using 將一枚斷面為方形的頭粗而尾稍細的楔釘貫穿過去，使得榫頭不能左
natural fibres. These seats were highly regarded for their lightweight, 右移動。圈椅的月牙扶手圓而細，楔釘榫任何構件的輕微誤差都會被
sturdy and strong appearance, so the cabinetmakers quickly adapted 相鄰的構件放大，尤須造得精緻。見王世襄著，《明式家具研究》卷
this design to hardwood furniture using ingenious joinery techniques. 一，香港，1990年，頁43-45。
The continuous back was obtained by fitting the members together
with a cut-out to accommodate a tapered wood pin that, once 此具圈椅後背板木紋緻密，雕工精細。除素圈椅外，圈椅大多如本
inserted, locked each part firmly in place. A lacquer coat was then 例，在後背板和券口牙板處進行裝飾；裝飾主題包括仿古紋飾、纏枝
applied to the surface crest rail so as to make invisible the underlying 花卉、蟠龍瑞獸等。安思遠認為，此種複古的紋飾設計是為晚明時
joinery. The complexity of this technique called for utmost precision, 期創新，見安思遠著，《Chinese Furniture：Hardwood Examples of
since any slight error in the angle of any of the joints was magnified the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties》，紐約，1971年，頁86。安氏
by the adjoining members; see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of 進一步認為，此類券口牙板可在唐代桌案裝飾中找到相似之處；參見
Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, 奈良正倉院所藏一例，收錄於S.Handler著，《Austere Luminosity of
pp.43-45. Chinese Classical Furniture》，柏克萊，2001年，頁244 ，圖版12.6。

The present chair is distinguished by the attractively-figured grain on 安思遠舊藏一件十七世紀黃花梨圈椅，後背板開光浮雕螭龍紋，可為
the backsplat and the precise carving of the ruyi-form medallions. 比對，售於紐約佳士得，2015年3月18日，拍品編號139。另參考一
Quanyi chairs were either left undecorated or carved on the splats and 對十七世紀黃花梨圈椅，售於紐約佳士得，2017年3月16日，拍品編
aprons with raised designs, such as the present seat. The subjects 號607。
selected to decorate such chairs included interlocking archaistic
designs, floral scrolls, entwined chilong and writhing dragons.
According to Robert Ellsworth, these designs were an innovation of
the late Ming period; see R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture. Hardwood
Examples of the Ming and Ch’ing Dynasties, New York, 1971, p.86.
The author further observes the similarities between the curvilinear
apron of quanyi chairs, which the present example also displays, with
its counterpart found on Tang period tables, such as the example in
the Shōsōin Treasure House, Nara, illustrated by S.Handler, Austere
Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkley, 2001, pl.12.6.

Compare with a single huanghuali horseshoe-back armchair, 17th
century, similarly decorated with finely-carved ruyi medallions enclosing
pairs of sinuous chilong, formerly in the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth,
which was sold at Christie’s New York, 18 March 2015, lot 139. See also
a pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back chairs, 17th century, which was
sold at Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 607.

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