A rare and important carved zitan armchair, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period. Photo Sotheby's

well-carved in relief with European influenced rocaille, acanthus and foliate trails, the backsplat of openwork vase-form, the shaped crestrail slightly outscrolled, the sideposts joined to the serpentine armrests, all enclosing elaborate and delicate openwork spandrels, the hard seat enclosed within a frame surmounting a recessed waist above curvilinear aprons, resting on cabriole legs terminating in slipper feet above small bun-form supports, all supported by a rectangular stretcher on bracket feet.Height 44 1/8 in., 112.5 cm; Width 25 5/8 in., 65 cm; Depth 20 ¼ in., 51.6 cm. Estimate 1,200,000 — 1,500,000 USD

Provenance: Collection of Lt. Col. Robert Gray Peck (1879-1956), Military Attaché to the United States Legation in Beijing from 1903 to 1904 and thence by descent.

Exhibited: McLung Museum, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2005-2013.

Note: The present lot appears to be the fourth of a set of armchairs to appear on the market. Two were sold at Christies Hong Kong, 3rd December 2008, lot 2503, now on display at the National History Museum, Beijing, and another was sold at I Gavel New York, 24th October 2012, item no. 2733451. Two related armchairs from the Palace Collection in Beijing are illustrated in Hu Desheng, A Treasury of Ming & Qing Dynasty Palace Furniture, vol. 1, Beijing, 2007, nos. 88 and 94, both dated to the Qianlong period. Another from the Qing court collection with a flamboyant rocaille crest is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, vol. II, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 49, no. 39. In addition to the examples in the Palace museum, one of a pair with similar openwork spandrels is illustrated in Tian Jiaqing, Classic Chinese Furniture of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1996, pp. 106-109, no. 36.

The opulent use of rare and Imperially controlled zitanwood in combination with fluid, deft carving are the defining characteristics of the best of the Guangzhou or Euroiserie style. The rich resinous hardwood provided the perfect medium for the elegant curvilinear lines and the delicate, refined relief and openwork carving needed to reflect the Rococo inspired furnishings favored by the Qianlong emperor. These masterpieces are infused with the spirited playfulness and organic profusion of Louis XV taste but tempered by a strength and coherent proportion that is distinctly Chinese and one achievable only in hardwood, unlike the painted softwood European examples.
The present lot was acquired in 1903 by Lt. Col. Robert Gray Peck. He was born in New Jersey, 10th April 1879 and served as a United States military attaché in Beijing in 1903 to 1904 and was then sent to the Philippines where he was joined by his family. He passed away in Illinois on 12th November 1956. The armchair has remained in the family collection.

Sotheby's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART. 18 MARS 2014 - 19 MARS 2014. NEW YORK -www.sothebys.com