Page 42 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Tseng Collection Chinese Furniture

It is very rare to find a single-top qiaotou’an of this size. The thickness of 大小與厚度（5.8公分）與本品均相當的獨板翹頭案極為罕有，可見製作本品
the present table top (5.8 cm.) is evidence that the furniture maker had 的家具工匠有充沛資金與豐富資源，方能獲得如此高級別的珍貴材料。條
the economic resources and access to precious materials of the highest
quality. Tables of the present type tend to feature long, single-plank tops, 案如本品常以整板作案，用料厚重，一木連造牙條與牙頭，與案腿以燕尾榫
thick members and aprons with integral spandrels which are joined by 連接，因此結構更加牢固。此類條案案板兩頭翹起，兩側腿間的擋板雕飾精
dovetail-housing to the trestle legs, providing added structural support. 美，被稱作「翹頭案」。明代文人文震亨又稱其為「壁桌」，因為在客廳正規
Altar tables of this type are known as qiaotou’an as they are distinguished 陳設中，它常常倚墻而立，用以陳列工藝品或呈進貢品。在明代《金瓶梅》木
by their elegant everted table-top ends and openwork panels joining the 刻版畫插圖中即可見到（圖一）。
legs. The late Ming style-maker Wen Zhenheng also termed it bizhuo,
or ‘wall table,’ as they were often found placed against a wall in the main
hall of a formal setting, to display works of art or to hold offerings, as can 翹頭案形制分兩款，一款腿向外撇，另一款為直腿，足下承托泥，如本品。
be seen in an illustration of the popular Ming dynasty novel Jin Ping Mei
(The Golden Lotus) (fig. 1). 數個美術館收藏中均可見到精美的黃花梨翹頭案（高85.3厘米，長226.5
厘米，寬42.5厘米），如明尼阿波利斯藝術博物館藏有一例，尺寸稍小於本
There appears to be two types of recessed trestle-leg tables. The first
type has everted feet and the second type, such as the current table, has 品，著錄於Robert Jacobsen及Nicholas Grindley著《明尼阿波利斯藝術博物
straight legs set into shoe feet. 館藏中國古典家具》(Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute
of Arts)，芝加哥，1999年，頁127，編號42（圖二）。
Notable huanghuali trestle-leg tables can be seen in several public
collections, including a slightly smaller example (H85.3 cm. x W226.5
cm. x D42.5 cm.) in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, illustrated by Robert 北京故宮博物院亦有一件風格相似的黃花梨帶托子翹頭案(高81.5厘米，
D. Jacobson and Nicholas Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture in the 長244厘米，寬46厘米)，飾有夔龍紋透雕擋板，著錄於《故宮博物院藏文物
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, p. 127, no. 42 (fig. 2). 珍品全集：明清家具（I）》，香港，2002年，頁165（圖三）。

A huanghuali painting table with openwork kui-dragon panels set into
shoe feet similar in style to the present table (H81.5 cm. x W244 cm. x 一件來自Fredric Mueller舊藏且尺寸相當的黃花梨翹頭案於紐約佳士得售
D46 cm.), is in the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, illustrated in The 出，1991年11月27日，拍品235號，後又於香港佳士得售出，2012年11月28日，
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Furniture of the 拍品2004號。另有一例相似的獨板翹頭案（高95.9厘米，長309.9厘米，
Ming and Qing Dynasties (I.), Hong Kong, 2002, p. 165 (fig. 3). 寬47.6厘米）擋板飾以透雕螭龍紋，於紐約佳士得售出，2022年3月24-25日，
拍品1016號（圖四）。
A massive single-plank top huanghuali recessed trestle-leg qiaotou’an
of similar size, previously from the Estate of Fredric Mueller, was sold at
Christie’s New York, 27 November 1991, lot 235 and again at Christie’s
Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2004. Compare the present table also
to a single-plank top qiaotou’an with carved chilong panels (H95.9 cm. x
W309.9 cm. x D47.6 cm.) sold at Christie’s New York, 24-25 March 2022,
lot 1016 (fig. 4).

fig. 1: Ming dynasty woodblock print illustration detail to Jin Ping Mei
(The Golden Lotus)
fig. 2: Collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota
fig. 3: Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing.
fig. 4: Important American Collection, sold at Christie’s New York,
24-25 March 2022, lot 1016.
圖一：明代《金瓶梅》木刻版畫插圖
圖二：明尼阿波利斯美術館藏品
圖三：北京故宮博物館藏品
fig. 1 圖一 圖四：重要美國舊藏，於紐約佳士得售出，2022年3月24-25日，拍品1016號

40 RICH GOLDEN HUES AND GRACEFUL FORMS