Page 92 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

Known as xiangji, incense stands count amongst the rarest types of 几面標準榫卯攢邊框裝綠石面心，邊抹冰盤沿自中上部內縮至底壓窄
furniture originating during the Ming dynasty. They were made square, 平線，高束腰嵌裝有浮雕海棠紋的絛環板，四足側腳顯著，足端挖成
rectangular, octagonal, lobed and even circular. Their function was 棱角犀利的馬蹄，直落在托泥之上。
for displaying a rock sculpture, fragrant bonsai (miniature plant), a
flower vase or an incense burner, as recorded by Gao Lian in ‘Eight 香几常出現於明代書畫及版畫中，但傳世品極少。形制有方形、長方
Discourses on the Art of Living’ Zunsheng Ba Jian, compiled in 1591. 形、八角形、圓形或各式花葉形。高濂在其於萬曆十九年初刊的《遵
They were also placed outdoors for worship, as can be seen in 生八牋》中述及香几尺寸多樣，或陳設奇石，或置香櫞盤，或置香爐
woodblock illustrations in Ming books. 香盒、焚香插花，或置清雅玩具、佛像佛龕等，用途不一。

The present example, decorated only with subtle beading, has gently 中國古典家具以石為裝飾，由來已久，這與歷代文人賞石愛石的文化
spreading legs ending in exquisitely-shaped hoof feet, which rest on 傳統有著密切的淵源，尤以宋代為甚。宋徽宗舉「花石綱」，成為全
floor-level stretchers, and has an inset greenstone panel. As it was 國最大的藏石家，達官貴族、紳商士子爭相效尤；米芾、蘇軾和歐陽
difficult to create a tenon with the top frame, the stone edges were 修等文壇名士都是賞石大家，認為石材的天然紋理可與經典的山水畫
wedged and inserted into the custom-made grooves on the interior of 作相媲美。宋代之後的畫作中，經常能看到鑲文石板的家具，明代之
the top frame. 後益發流行。本例香几面心所鑲綠石，主要成分為水合矽酸鎂，因紋
理形似蛇皮，亦稱蛇紋石。以石板做面心，使得掉落的香灰無損於几
The use of stone panels in furniture manufacture has a long history in 案表面，分外適合焚香祭拜。
China. It was highly suitable to hold incense burners, in case burning
embers fell on its top. Song dynasty scholars Mi Fu (1051-1107), Su 參考一件十六世紀晚期至十八世紀早期黃花梨嵌石香几，收錄於劉
Shi (1037-1101) and Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072) were great admirers of 柱柏著，《晏如居藏明式黃花梨家具》，香港，2016年，頁287，
stones, which were considered natural representations of landscapes 編號74。另見一件攻玉山房舊藏明晚期黃花梨四足癭木面帶托泥長方
and nature itself. The present greenstone is composed primarily of 香几，形制可與本例比較，售於香港蘇富比，2015年8月14日，
hydrated magnesium silicates. As its surface simulated snakeskin, 拍品編號1。
serpentine stone was also known as ‘snake-pattern stone’.

A huanghuali incense stand, late 16th/early 18th century, inset with
a serpentine panel, is illustrated by Chu Pak-Lau, Classical Chinese
Huanghuali Furniture, Hong Kong, 2016, p.287, no.74. Compare
also the shape of the present stand with a huanghuali and burlwood
incense stand, late Ming dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby’s Hong
Kong, 14 August 2015, lot 1.

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