Lot 27. A pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs, quanyi, Qing dynasty, 17th-18th century. Estimate US$ 60,000 — 80,000. Photo Sotheby's.

the curved five segment toprail of each extending beyond the front corner posts and terminating in outscrolled handgrips above shaped spandrels, the slightly bowed splat flanked by beaded and shaped flanges and carved with a ruyi head-form medallion enclosing a coiled chilong, the soft mat seat supported underneath by two bowed transverse stretchers, set into the rectangular molded edge frame tapering with a central groove and beaded edge, above vigorously shaped and beaded spandreled aprons similarly carved on the front and sides with confronting pairs of chilong, the legs of rounded section joined by stepped stretchers and the footrest above a plain apron (2) - Height 40 1/4  in., 102.2 cm; Width 23 3/4  in., 60.3 cm; Depth 18 1/2  in., 47 cm

Notes: The present pair of armchairs is unusual for the very lively carving of confronting dragons on the aprons and spandrels. For a related pair in the Hung collection, with similar carving along the aprons but the sides carved with scrolling tendrils, see Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Nicholas Grindley and Anita Christy, Chinese Furniture, One Hundred Examples from the Collection of Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1999, pl. 15. 

Sotheby's. The Reverend Richard Fabian Collection of Chinese Classical Furniture, New York, 15 mars 2016, 10:00 AM