Lot 2915. A huanghuali square incense stand, Ming dynasty, Late 16th-early 17th century; 77.2 cm high; 62.1 cm wide; 61.9 cm depth. Price realised HKD 5,544,000 (Estimate HKD 480,000 – HKD 650,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2024

Literature: Grace Wu Bruce, Ming Furniture - Rare Examples from the 16th and 17th Centuries, Hong Kong, 1999, pp. 8-9.

Note: The top of standard mitre, mortise and tenon frame construction with a two-board, tongue-and-grooved flush, floating panel supported by two dovetailed transverse stretchers underneath and an additional cross stretcher. The edge of the frame top is decorated with a wide groove above a recessed high waist. The plain, straight beaded-edged apron is half-lapped mortised and tenoned into the tall legs ending in exquisitely drawn hoof feet. Four S-curved braces are mortised and tenoned into the legs and the transverse stretchers underneath the top.

This incense stand of simple classic proportions epitomizes the ideal aesthetic of its period. Stands of this design belong to a type of classic Ming furniture designs, as frequently mentioned in contemporaneous paintings and woodblock print illustrations, for example, in the 16th century publication Eight Discourses on the Art of Living Zunsheng Bajian, vol. 15 by Gao Lian. However, surviving examples are rare. They were used for displaying a rock sculpture, fragrant penzai miniature plants, flower vases or an incense burners. They were sometimes placed outdoors for worship. A similar square incense stand with base stretchers, is illustrated by Gustav Ecke, Chinese Domestic Furniture, Hong Kong, 1978, pl. 6; a smaller example is illustrated in the Ming dynasty encyclopedia Sancai tuhui [Assembled pictures of the three realms], vol. 12, p. 32. A shorter stand of similar design, but without S-curved braces, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 18 March 2014, lot 408. A smaller example has an inset burl panel in the top, is illustrated by Grace Wu Bruce, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991, p. 98.

Lot 2916. A pair of important and extremely rare huanghuali yoke-back armchairs, sichutouguanmaoyi, 17th century; 119.4 cm high; 64.7 cm wide; 48.2cm depth. Price realised HKD 5,544,000 (Estimate HKD 480,000 – HKD 650,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2024

Provenance: The Gangolf Geis Collection of Fine Classical Chinese Furniture
Sold at Christie’s New York, 18 September 2003, lot 38 .

Note: The yoke-back armchairs are constructed of fine huanghuali, each ‘official’s hat’ toprail with strongly swept-back ends supported on round corner posts which continue through to the back legs. The well matched backsplats are flanked at the sides by openwork ruyi-scroll flanges, pierced and exquisitely carved in deep and layered technique from both sides with a ruyi-shaped cartouche enclosing auspicious emblems surrounding a lion on one and a spotted deer on the other. The out-scrolled arms supported on sinuous tapering stiles and curved front posts with beaded cloud spandrels continue through the rectangular frame of the soft mat seat to form the front legs, which joined in front by beaded scrolling aprons and long flange spandrels carved with dragons, lotus buds, ruyi and clouds, with similarly carved aprons and spandrels on all four sides, and with a shaped footrest and stepped stretchers, each with a curvilinear apron carved with dragon heads or leafy tendrils .

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 30 May 2024