Page 15 - Sotheby's Imperial Chiense Porcelain Nov 4 2020 London

121
A HUANGHUALI ALTAR TABLE, QIAOTOUAN In high-ranking Chinese households of the late Ming and
17TH CENTURY Qing dynasties, tables of such impressive proportions with
upturned ends demonstrated the status and wealth of their
the rectangular top terminating in everted flanges, above a owners. Known among modern cabinet makers as qiaotouan,
later beaded apron carved with stylised foliate scrolls atop tables of this type are discussed in Wen Zhenheng’s (1585-
each leg, the out-turned feet joined by a pair of cross braces 1645) influential Zhang wu zhi [Treatise on Superfluous
and flanking an openwork panel of a prominent lingzhi, the Things], the late 17th century guide to refined taste. Here,
lower braces with a stylised foliate-shaped apron Wen recommended that such tables were placed underneath
203 by 47.5 by 90 cm, 80 by 18¾ by 35½ in. a painting and even suggested that “one may place such
things as fantastic rocks, seasonal flowers, or miniature tray-
PROVENANCE
landscapes; but avoid garish objects such as red lacquerware”.
Purchased from Hei Hung-Lu, Hong Kong, late 1980s/early Although Wen warned against the use of excessive carving, the
1990s. lively openwork panels of lingzhi on this table are balanced by
the simplicity of the apron and spandrels.
◉ W £ 40,000-60,000
Compare an altar table of larger proportions and with more
exuberantly carved spandrels, from the Florence and Herbert
明末清初 黃花梨芝仙祝壽紋翹頭案 Irving collection, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, illustrated in Sarah Handler, Austere Luminosity of
來源 Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley, 2001, pl. 14.16, together
於上世紀80年代末/90年代初購自香港黑洪祿 with a much larger example in the Minneapolis Institute of Art,
pl. 14.17.

120
A PAIR OF HUANGHUALI TWO-DOOR CABINETS 二十世紀 黃花梨方角立櫃成對
20TH CENTURY
來源
each of rectangular box construction, with doors set with
baitong hinges and lock plate, all above an apron carved with 於上世紀80年代末/90年代初購自香港黑洪祿
two confronted chilong, the sides and reverse with a cusped
apron, supported on four short square legs, the interior with
one shelf containing two drawers
(2)
139 by 86.5 by 51 cm, 54¾ by 34 by 20⅛ in.;
138.5 by 86.5 by 51 cm, 54½ by 34 by 20⅛ in.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Hei Hung-Lu, Hong Kong, late 1980s/early
1990s.
◉ W £ 10,000-20,000

26 Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated above) and the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right 27
(which will depend on the individual circumstances). Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.