Page 74 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

Displaying restrained lines and generous yet balanced statuesque 此對南官帽椅全身光素，彎弧優美，屬於高靠背南官帽椅的標準式。
proportions, and enhanced by the rich lustre of the huanghuali honey- 搭腦中成枕形，素麵三彎靠背板嵌入搭腦下方及椅盤後大邊的槽口。
coloured wood, the present pair of chairs embodies the search for 後腿上截以挖煙袋鍋榫連接搭腦兩端，向下穿過椅盤成為腿足；三彎
simplicity through the beauty and elegance of form, quintessential 弧形的扶手與前腿鵝脖同樣也以挖煙袋鍋榫連接，後端出榫接入後腿
embodiments of the Ming dynasty timeless aesthetic. 上截，中間支以三彎形上細下大的圓材聯幫棍。椅盤為格角榫攢邊
框，邊抹冰盤沿上舒下斂底壓窄邊線，四框內緣踩邊打眼造軟屜。
The ‘Southern official’s hat’ armchair is one of the most prestigious 座面下安券口牙子，沿邊起線，上方齊頭碰椅盤下面，二側嵌入腿
forms of Chinese furniture. Whereas many armchairs of this form 足，底端出榫納入踏腳棖。左右兩面安相似券口牙子，後方為短牙
feature thick members and rigid lines, the present pair, displaying 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。
slender and elegant curves, has a most refined aesthetic, and
represents among the most graceful examples of this design. 作為中國古典家具中最負盛名的形式之一，南官帽椅線條優美、造型
The entirely uncarved surfaces also suggests that the carpenter 舒展，通過明快而優雅的形式體現了明代家具簡練、純粹的美學追
appreciated their beauty in form and material. 求。此對高靠背南官帽椅結構嚴謹、用材細緻，既通過造型高大顯示
其挺拔俊秀，又兼具靈動線條傳達出的娟秀雅緻；寬厚的靠背板紋理
This particular design of nanguanmaoyi chairs differs from the ‘official’s 流暢，亮澤如蜜，更見木材天然韻致，盡現傳統中國家具之經典。
hat’ armchair guanmaoyi in that the crestrails continue into the back
posts, as opposed to extending horizontally beyond them. In addition, 官帽椅有搭腦和扶手都出頭的「四出頭」、以及四處無一出頭的南官
creating the continuous line of the crestrail joining into the rear upright 帽椅之別；南官帽椅的搭腦、扶手和前後腿以悶榫角接合的正角榫接
posts is achieved by a rounded, right-angle joint called a ‘pipe-joint,’ 做法，匠師據其形象稱之為「挖煙袋鍋」。據Sarah Handler考證，
which is also used to join the curved arms to the front upright posts. 官帽椅主要為供奉神明及王公貴族坐用，見S.Handler著，《Austere
Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture》，伯克利，2001年，頁43。
According to Sarah Handler, the Chinese yokeback chair was Robert Jacobsen和Nicholas Grindley則認為，此類坐具或源自宋明時
considered the stately seat of Buddhists, deities, royalty and important 期的竹製家具；刊行於約1570年的《玉簪記》插圖版畫中就描繪了一
people; see S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical 對湘妃竹製高靠背椅，搭腦亦不出頭而向下彎扣，見R.D.Jacobsen與
Furniture, Hong Kong, 2001, p.43. Discussing the origin of this N.Grindley著，《明尼阿波利斯藝術館藏中國古典家具》，明尼阿波
form, Robert Jacobsen and Nicholas Grindley refer to bent bamboo 利斯，1999年，頁52-53。
construction, popular in the Song and Ming dynasties, as a possible
inspiration for the continuous top and arm rails which is a principal 明尼阿波利斯藝術館館藏一對十七世紀早期黃花梨南官帽椅，比例及
feature of ‘Southern official’s hat’ armchairs. An illustration from the 券口牙子裝飾與本拍品極似，可資比對，見R.D.Jacobsen與N.Grindley
‘Legend of the Jade Hairpin’ Yuzan Ji, dated circa 1570, depicts a 著，《明尼阿波利斯藝術館藏中國古典家具》，明尼阿波利斯，1999
pair of speckled-bamboo tall-back chairs with continuous crestrails; 年，頁52-53。另見一對近乎相同的十七世紀黃花梨南官帽椅，售於香
see R.Jacobsen and N.Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture in the 港佳士得，2012年11月28日，拍品編號2026。
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999, pp.52-53.

Compare with a pair of very similar huanghuali ‘Southern official’s
hat’ armchairs, early 17th century, of similar proportions and shaped
aprons and spandrels as the present examples, in the Minneapolis
Institute of Arts, illustrated by R.Jacobsen and N.Grindley, Classical
Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis,
1999, pp.52-53. See also another nearly-identical pair of huanghuali
‘Southern official’s hat’ armchairs, 17th century, which was sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2026.

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