Page 26 - Christie's, Tang Collection of Important Chinese Ming Furniture May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

The name guanmaoyi or ‘official’s hat-shaped chair is derived 本對四出頭官帽椅造型舒朗大氣，雕工精湛。搭腦彎弧有
from its resemblance to the winged hat that was part of the
formal attire of the Ming officials. They were regarded as 力，中成枕形，兩端出頭上翹。三彎背板一木雕成，其上設如
high chairs and retained a connotation of status and authority 意形開光，分別透雕麒麟及瑞獸兩隻於雜寶之間，兩側飾鏤
associated with the elite gentry in Chinese society. The 雕卷草紋掛牙。後腿上截出榫納入搭腦，穿過椅盤成為腿足
classical text Lu Ban jing [Manuscript of Lu Ban], a 15th-
century carpenter’s manual, gives specifications for these 一木連做，前腿亦為相似作法。扶手亦三彎，中間支以三彎
chairs and describes the joinery as the embodiment and fine 形上細下粗圓材連幫棍。座面下四面安起線雕螭龍紋券口牙
example of Chinese furniture. 子，前腿間施一踏腳棖，下飾壼門牙板。
The present chairs are distinguished by their elaborate and
refined carving, particularly in the most unusual, pierced 官帽椅因其外觀與古代官吏所戴頂帽相似而得名。十五世紀
medallion in the splat. Invariably pairs, or sets, of chairs have 木匠典籍《魯班經》詳細描述官帽椅製式，並稱許其榫卯結
uniform decoration, identical, within the given parameters of 合方式為中國傢俱之典範。比較一對同本拍品似原為一組的
hand carving, from chair to chair.
黃花梨官帽椅，為Gangolf Geis舊藏，2003年9月18日於紐
These chairs, and another two appear to come from the same 約佳士得拍賣，拍品38號（圖一）。其背板上分別雕刻獅子
set, the pair from the Gangolf Geis collection sold at Christie’s 及梅花鹿。Curtis Evarts於2003年佳士得圖錄前序中寫道
New York, 18 September 2003, lot 38 (fig.1). The Geis chairs
have different animals carved to the back rest, a lion on one, 背板之上的紋飾似與官服補子相關，或與落座時家人、賓客
and a spotted deer on the other. 次序關聯。
It has been suggested by Curtis Evarts in his foreword in the
Christie’s catalogue for the Gangolf Geis Collection auction in
2003 that this decoration might relate to rank badges or some
sort of hierarchical seating arrangement amongst family or
guests. It is also most unusual to find such elaborate carved
decoration to the aprons beneath the seat and beneath the
foot stretcher and side and back stretchers. These elaborately
carved chairs were crafted by an exceptional master carpenter.

fig.1 Collection of Gangolf Geis, sold at Christie’s New York, 18 September 2003, lot 38
圖一 Gangolf Geis舊藏，拍賣於紐約佳士得，2003年9月18日，拍品38號

A CONNOISSEUR’S STUDIO