PU R E FORM

Classical
Chinese
Furniture

Vok
Collection

Museum für
Ostasiatische Kunst Köln
Vok
Collection
 P U R E F ORM
Classical
Chinese
Furniture

Vok
Collection

Catalogue
Nicholas Grindley

Essay
Florian Hufnagl
 Edition Vok

Catalogue Nicholas Grindley

Essay Florian Hufnagl

Photography Lorenzo Trento

Design and Layout Peter Eberle, Ignazio Vok
Drawings Ignazio Vok

German and
English translations Adele Schlombs, Alan Forman

Printed in Germany Oestreicher+Wagner

Medientechnik GmbH, Munich

Distribution Maria Vok

Via Cesare Battisti 16
I-35121 Padova
Tel. +39 049 66 49 00
Fax +39 049 8 75 28 90
E-Mail: studiovok@hotmail.com

ISBN 3-923185-16-2 German edition

ISBN 3-923185-17-0 English edition

All rights reserved

© Ignazio Vok, 2004

Contents

Essay
Design Transfer
or: The Labyrinthine Roads of Art Florian Hufnagl 7

About the Collection Ignazio Vok 15

About the Catalogue Ignazio Vok 21

Thanks 23

Catalogue of the Collection Nicholas Grindley 25

Bibliography 127
6
Essay

Design Transfer
or: The Labyrinthine Roads of Art
Florian Hufnagl

Prologue

It is a truism, in every theory of perception that our consciousness is a place of groups sought the foreign as a means of delimitation, as a medium for the
images. (Hans Belting 1998) development of a novel modern art. Modernism was formed – not only,
but also – thanks to the other. While in the East the dominance of non-
representational imagination was bemoaned, the West resisted the regime
Cultures live from images and transmit themselves through images. of the figurative.
In this way they are archived and documented. Mandarin – jade – Shanghai-
Express – Tao – Marco Polo – The Great Wall – Confucius – bicycles
Chinese opera – Charlie Chan – bound feet – enigmatic characters – First Act
a “nation on the move“ – image after image, no certainties – images.
For scores of Europeans, that is China. Ever since the expansion of the trade routes to Asia in the 16th century, the
culture of the Far East has inspired European philosophy and art. Precious
The dialogue between China and Europe has taken on and takes on the silk and porcelain, jade objects, lacquer work and, occasionally, furniture
most varied forms and is defined, most predominantly, through an excep- as well fed the occidental imagination – as substantial ambassadors, so to
tional constancy. speak – with thoughts of a far-off civilization of tremendous wealth and
most splendid perfection.
On the last day of December in the year 1699, the French court celebrated
the advent of the new year with a huge Chinese gala. On February 20, 2004 The yearning after this dream world, replete with its teasingly joyful delec-
the so-called Plagiarius was awarded for the 28th time - a distinction tations, was of course not, per se, reachable. However, fantasy was a
that honours the makers of remarkably clever copies of Western products; all viable substitute. The settings were the royal European courts of the
three prizes were awarded to the Chinese. Baroque and the Enlightenment. Chinoiserie was the magic word – and
In the interim, there are countless possibilities. Over a long period of with it the “China mode“ was born: In castles and palaces, cabinets were
time – it could certainly be said – the historical parcours predominated from assembled in the Chinese style, filled with Chinese porcelain, parkland
East to West. structures were given “sino-style“ interior decors (Pagodenburg in the castle
gardens of Nymphenburg, 1716-19; the Chinese House in Sanssouci
For the creative avant-garde of the 20th century in the East and West, castle park, 1754-64). Chinese architectural and ornamental references,
contact took the form of mutual fertilization and enrichment. Both cultural Chinese-inspired garments or fabrics adorned with Chinese motifs, wall.

7
coverings and tapestries, marquetry, furniture and wall decorations
attracted more and more enthusiasts – and famous painters, like François
Boucher and Antoine Watteau, both of who applied the theme.

Along with these Chinese-inspired works, the long sought-after Chinese

originals – especially those made from porcelain or lacquer – increasingly
moved to the fore. Often, however, no differentiation was made between
chinoiserie from European or Chinese artists; they were even, in fact,
labelled as Indian or American Indian. Alone the impression of the grotesque,
the exotic, the oriental was decisive – China and things Chinese morphed
into a synonym for all of these bizarre trends. Present day discernment
was, at the time, still far off.

As trade barriers were lifted in 1684, export out of China rose enormously.
Europe was, so to speak, flooded with Chinese products, which were
tailor-made to European taste. Furniture, however, remained the exception
and the few verifiable exemplars were mainly lacquered pieces.

For the most part, copies formed the basis for the notion of how Chinese
furniture looked; these arrived in Europe in several waves. In England, Simple type of walnut chaur, circa 1708–10, England
this was particularly manifest in Queen Anne chairs from 1680–1710 with
their characteristic back rests and – around a generation later – in “Chinese
Chippendale“ furniture (ca. 1740-50). Whereas Queen Anne chairs hark
back to original Chinese furniture, the Chippendale furniture took their
characteristic features from other areas of the applied arts, such as wall
coverings, porcelain and lacquer work. Pictorial sources, like, for example,
Wilhelm Chambers’ book “Design of Chinese Buildings, Furniture, Dresses,
Machines and Utensils“ (1757) also played an important role in this context.

Intermezzo

During the course of the 19th century, Chinese culture increasingly lost its
paradigmatic character, not least owing to the decline of the Middle King-
dom. The political and social inferiority now ascribed to the Chinese by the
West was applied, as well, to its arts and its craft industry.

The Opium War of 1840–42 and China’s economic disjuncture – starting

1757 trade contact was limited to Canton – reinforced this conviction.

The (forced) opening of Japan to the West in the mid–19th century brought
about the decisive turning point. Artists of the second half of the 19th cen-
tury who were seeking new alternatives now found stylistic and formal
alternatives, discovering a societal model that combined art, artisanal crafts Bamboo furniture ensemple, from Sir William Chambers book, 1757
and a way of being.

8
 Even if Japan was not the only Asian inspiration source for European Art
Nouveau and Jugendstil, it was – subsumed in the expression Japonism –
the most important. Japan was associated with artistically estimable,
high-quality effects. China was the antithesis and Chinoiserie something
inferior. It was not by chance that Edward William Godwin labelled his
furniture “Anglo-Japanese“ and that Christopher Dresser travelled to Japan
and not to China.

And with that, China was rendered almost meaningless for the applied
arts. Solely in the area of jade work or the “flambe“ glazes of French
ceramicists (Chaplet, Dalpayrat, Delaherche) did Chinese prototypes still
play a role.

Chinese furniture, in comparison, seemed not to exist for Art Nouveau

artists. Here there are only very few exceptions, as seen, for example, in a
wardrobe designed by Richard Riemerschmid in 1905/06 as part of his
machine furniture program, which borrowed its form and proportions, even,
in fact, a small number of details, like the feet. from Chinese pieces...
perhaps an early indication that Japan’s still dominant influence was slowly
beginning to receive some competition through a nascent reprise of
China’s influence.

In 1911 Guillaume Apollinaire prophesied the triumph of Chinese art – “pow-

erful, noble and sweeping“ - over that of Japan, which was so admired at
the time. For Charles Rennie Mackintosh this replacement was to remain,
conversely, a mere episode, as seen in his “Chinese Room“ in Glasgow’s
Ingram Street Tea Salon, also from 1911, with its Chinese decorative motifs
used for the fittings and furnishings.

Second Act

The re-discovery of the Chinese aesthetic“ boomed“ after the First World
War – even though the encounter with these things was not a far-reaching
one. Generally, the orientation took its cues from superficial features
and honoured these as attempts at an abstraction and minimalization of
Western means of expression.

In the 1920s more books and articles were published about Chinese art
than about Japanese art. The reasons for this are obvious: Japan was no
longer considered an enigma, the newness and otherness of its art was,
in the meantime, amply known and assimilated - and it became gradually
clear that many of the accomplishments attributed to Japanese art actually
CaIbinet, Richard Riemerschmid, 1905-06, Germany had Chinese roots.

9
Furthermore, the most recent excavations in China kindled fresh aware-
ness and drew attention to the early, as yet unknown periods of its culture.
Important exhibitions in Europe and America were devoted to the
topic and thereby augmented the perception of European artists relative
to Chinese art.

A group of well-known French Art Deco designers, in particular, were

quite taken with China. Aside from in textiles and jewelry (jade). this found
expression in complete interior furnishings, as, for example, in Pierre
Chareau’s “Petit Salon Chinois“ (1924). whereby only the wall panelling and
not the furniture was fashioned in the Chinese style. In the “Catay Lounge“ Pair of side tables,
on the “Empress of Britain“ (1931), one of the great ocean liners of the Jean-Michel Frank, signed, circa 1930, France
Canadian Pacific Company, designer Edmond Dulac employed Chinese
decorative motifs for the ornamental fittings as well as for the furniture.
Jean Dunand was also inspired by Chinese furniture forms, as was Eileen
Gray, Jean-Michel Frank and Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann.

However, far more important than the form-related correspondences

were the luxurious surfaces that directly demonstrated an impression of
the art of Asian lacquering. Here, however, Japan’s contribution was, Pentant handle, Kaare Klint, circa 1930, Denmark
once again, of greater importance than that of China’s. The emergence of
synthetic lacquer in the 1930s led to a gradual depreciation of this style,
and subsequently to its total and abrupt end upon Japan’s entry into the
war.

It was lacquered and/or elaborately carved Chinese furniture of the late

18th and 19th centuries that primarily influenced western conceptions during
the period between the two wars.

In one of the first books about Chinese furniture - Odilon Roche, “Les
meubles de Chine“, 1922 - only lacquered works were shown, as if so
expected. Then in 1940 John C. Ferguson in his “Survey of Chinese Art“
dealt with both lacquered and non-lacquered objects - and first in 1944,
with the publication of Gustav Ecke’s book “Chinese Domestic Furniture“
was hardwood, non-lacquered furniture exclusively presented.

That explains why Huanghuali furniture of the Ming or early Qing period,
which is today held in such high esteem, played such a minimal role in
the reception of things Chinese in the applied arts. They were simply too
little known.

Although this may seem somewhat surprising, in the 1930s and 40s there
was merely a small group of foreigners in Peking who appreciated the
stark forms of this furniture and therefore also collected it. After 1945, the Cabinet, Rigmor Andersen, 1937, Denmark
pieces arrived in the West, a few landing in museum collections and

10
 others passing into private hands. The attempt to reproduce this furniture
brought with it no great economic profit, as evinced by the Drummond
brothers and their offering of “Dynasty“ furniture in New York in the 1950s.

Remarkable for 1930s America was, without a doubt, Warren McArthur’s

aluminium furniture that demonstrated, through its use of form, a familiarity
with Chinese furniture.

Third Act

In Europe, the Scandinavians in particular began to look back to Chinese

models. Whereas Danish architect and designer Kaare Klingt initially
took inspiration from decorative motifs and later from furniture forms,
Ole Wanscher presented, as early as 1932, early Chinese furniture in
Armchair (“Kinastol“), Hans J. Wegner, 1943, Denmark his book about furniture (M0beltyper). And in 1935 Arne Jacobsen designed a
chair for a restaurant in Klampenbord that clearly took its cues from
Ming period furniture.

Dining chair, Arne Jacobsen, 1935, Denmark

However, one of the most significant instances of the reaction to China in

20th century design is the so-called“ Kinastol“ (China chair) from Hans
Wegner - designed 1943/44, almost concurrently with the publication of
Gustav Ecke’s “Chinese Domestic Furniture“. The stimulus for the Kinastol
moreover goes back to yet another book, namely the afore mentioned pub-
Armchair, Hans J. Wegner, 1944, Denmark lication from Ole Wanscher, which Wegner came across in the municipal
library in Aarhus. The depicted “quanyi“ chair was far more important for

11
Wegner’s design than the often cited examples of early Chinese furniture
in Copenhagen’s decorative arts museum. The preoccupation with this
exemplar lead to four different variations of the China chair, all marked by
the search for an optimal solution to a modern chair form. A few later
works as well-like the “chair“ (No. 501) from 1949 or the Y-chair (No. 24)
from 1950 - document Hans Wegner’s continuous, intensive fascination
with Chinese chairs.

Furthermore, other Scandinavian designers were inspired by Chinese

furniture: Pedar Moos and his mahogany table from 1943 or Ole Wanscher,
author of the chair book cited above, and his rose-wood table from 1956.
Peter Celsing’s chair “Opera“ from 1960 would be unimaginable without
Chinese prototypes.

Table, Ole Wanscher, 1956, Denmark

Table, Ralph Hampton, 1991, England

Armchair “Wassily“, Marcel Breuer, circa 1925

12
 It is certainly no coincidence that there are clearly so many examples in
northern Europe of the acceptance of early Chinese furniture. The master-
ful carpentry work of chairs from the Ming and early Oing period is, in all
probability, a particular fascination for Scandinavian furniture designers who
also have a similar bent for craftsmanship. And apparently the unusual,
as well as simple use of form strikes a strong chord with Scandinavians.

Some of the early Chinese chairs, with their rigorous reduction and geo-
metric aesthetic, seem to be, at least formally, related to Bauhaus or inter-
national Modernist objects and almost beg for comparisons as, for example,
Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chair from 1925... even though this type of
Chinese furniture was as good as unknown at the time. For its subsequent
“discovery“ or “acceptance“, the Bauhaus’ modern aesthetic was to play an
important role, as only a changed aesthetic perception would allow for
a new orientation towards this furniture, which was, until then, artistically
fully underrated. It may therefore come as no surprise that the first book
about furniture from the Ming and early Oing period was from an author
(Gustav Eckel who was schooled during the Weimar Republic - the time
when the Bauhaus was being established – and who was surely not left
unaffected by the intellectual approach and aesthetic ideals of the budding
Bauhaus.

In Germany, a scattered acceptance of Chinese furniture occurred first

after the Second World War as seen, for example, in Harald Roth’s “Man-
darine“ table from 1960. The name itself discloses the source of inspiration
that, through the structural reduction of the rectangular frame and planes
as well as the combination of open and closed surfaces, is clearly expressed.

The design transfer of Chinese furniture in the 20th century took place in
Table “Mandarin“, Harald Roth, 1958, Germany several countries of Europe and in the USA and has by no means reached
its terminus. On the contrary: the reduced use of form, especially as
exemplified by the Ming and early Oing, also inspired – more or less con-
spicuously – numerous very functional, minimalistic contemporary designs.

Epilogue

However, decisive is – beyond all form-related analogies – the spirit and

philosophical context, from which the designs have emerged in the
East and West. The British architect Jon Pawson resolutely stated this
in 1996 in his book “Minimum“:

13
liThe idea of simplicity is a recurring ideal shared by many cultures – all of
them looking for a way of life free from the dead weight of an excess
of possessions. [And so] ... minimal living has always offered a sense of
liberation, a chance to be in touch with the essence of existence, rather
than distracted by the trivial. Clearly simplicity has dimensions to it that go
beyond the purely aesthetic: it can be seen as the reflection of some
innate, inner quality, or the pursuit of philosophical or literary insight into the
nature of harmony, reason and truth.

Simplicity has a moral dimension, implying selflessness and unworldliness.“

Armchair “Harp“, A/an Davis, circa 1983, USA

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About the Collection

“Collectors have a second, perhaps more happy existence.“

(Honoré de Balzac)

I have been a collector since my university days. My interests have always I noticed that all the dealers of textile art furnished their shops or their
been manifold but they have consolidated over the years. I could never see booths at the art fairs with pieces of Chinese furniture. These appeared to
and love just one “beauty“ or restrict myself to only collecting objects of be neutral and at the same time exotic, just as the textiles surrounding
the same kind. them.
I tried to understand this special relationship and began studying them
This is why I am equally interested in the arts of the Far East and the thoroughly.
Islamic world, but also in contemporary art and in ancient and modern As time went by, I started to realize how convincing these objects were
applied arts. This explains why I have been collecting Suzani embroidery to me: their forms, which are derived from tradition and yet have a timeless
and Persian and Anatolian flatweaves, while at the same time being quality, their functionalism, the fascinating quality of their craftsmanship
intrigued by Chinese furniture and literati objects. and the beauty of their woods.

There is something in the nature of collecting, moreover in the personal My desire to surround myself with these aesthetic objects resulted
ambition of the collector that makes him surround himself with objects of quite naturally in the following pursuits: travelling, looking, checking,
rarity and high quality, with uncommon artifacts and objects that have comparing, acquiring, furnishing and all the delightful and exciting aspects
never been seen before. Unfortunately objects of this scale and rank are of collecting.
extremely rare. Most of them have entered the collections of museums
or private collectors long ago, the latter not being accessible to the public. It is only fair that even the most ambitious and wealthy collector cannot
The opportunities of acquiring such pieces at auction, from specialized acquire all the pieces he desires. Therefore this collection too is the result
dealers or, occasionally, from private owners have become increasingly rare. of various coincidences and good luck.
In addition, it also reflects personal preference to a particular style or type
The objects in this collection are the finest I have been able to obtain within of furniture.
the past fifteen years. I have chosen them from among many objects In my choice of objects. I have always been guided by my feelings and my
according to my own judgment and criteria, because of their standing and intuition. These in turn are the result of my experience, of time and of my
the quality of their form. surroundings. of the influences of various people and of aesthetic training
How did I come to begin collecting Chinese furniture? There was no specific gained by a budding architect in Central Europe in the 1960’s, who was
point in time or special event. able to build on and expand over the years to follow. My personal feelings

15
are blended with the aesthetic judgments of the time I live in. It is simply exciting and makes me happy to discover these objects, to
My standard for selecting an object has been however, in most cases, reject or desire them, to acquire them, to examine them, to feel them with
a personal aesthetic quality. my hands, to approach them and to try to understand them. It excites
me to imagine the people who owned and used them in remote times and
to own them now myself and to indulge in their beauty.
If I have the feeling that I can live with a piece of furniture and that it
meets my aesthetic standards and that in addition to the quality of work- Their aura changes over time, and the more one believes to have under-
manship it also possesses, to a certain degree, what I call a noticeable stood the one or other piece, the more it may lapse and withdraw again
“artistic charisma“ or “aura“, only then do I consider it worthy of being into its past as one gets to know its general context.
added to my collection. Thus, the collector’s desire for “absolute knowledge and possession“ can
This clearly shows how subjective my decisions are. never be fulfilled.

I am looking and striving for an aesthetic experience which“ imparts

calmness, relaxation and harmony to the existence on the one hand, com- Collecting is the most intensive and satisfying way of “absorbing“ an
bined with its enhancement, broadening and deepening on the other“. object.
(H. Mayer) We should not allow any room in our hearts however for vanity, status
mentality, greed, envy etc.
The “collector’s lust“ is rooted in a human urge to enrich one’s life beyond It is essential that the process of collecting enrich our lives and make it
daily existence with a new and substantially different endeavour. more beautiful.
A collector reveals himself in what and how he collects. Ultimately one What we call this feeling, this special state of mind, is not important.
collects one’s “ego“!
My own“ Leitmotif“ or that which characterizes my collecting as “different“, If over a long or short period of time we can enjoy something, be it a
“exceptional“ and “personal“ has always been present. sentient being, an object, an atmosphere, a situation or “just“ a piece of
It is not a matter of being different from other collectors at all costs, or furniture, if our thoughts and feelings relate to it and our desire is fulfilled,
of opposing their taste and their opinions necessarily; it is rather a matter and if we can experience or even “own“ this object of desire, this is really
of this “own ego“ resulting simply from our human diversity. one of the most wonderful gifts life has to offer.

If the attentive viewer recognizes, at least to a small extent, this personal

trait, this typical own way, he gives me the satisfaction and the awareness
that the collection is indeed an “Ignazio Vok“ collection. What motivates me, how do I react when seeing a piece of furniture or an
object for the first time?
My way of collecting has not made things easy for me. If one focuses on This moment is always exciting; impulse and reaction take turns, one is
this dimension of highly personal choice, one skates on thin ice; there confused and tries not to show it.
are no models and there is no prescribed way. Under these conditions My hands pass over the surface of the furniture, I turn the piece upside
collecting becomes more exciting, however, and brings more surprises. down, I kneel on the floor, look at the quality of the wood and its construc-
tion, look at the patina and become aware of good and bad restorations.
The experience and knowledge, the confidence in one’s judgment, come I look at the piece closely and absorb it, and then view it from a distance
only gradually in the course of time. again.
All these different ways of looking at an object are very important;
Acquiring a work of art is an act of “joie de vivre“! gradually I want to gain a first and then a more consolidated impression.
In this sense collecting for me is not an ambition or a “higher task“ to Before making any decision however, I let time go by, I look at the object
be fulfilled. I have simply decided in favour of something that represents again and again, I leave it and go back, I deliberately distract myself – justt
“beauty“ to me. I have searched for it and found it, because I am an to test my initial, and as a rule, too enthusiastic reaction.
optimist, because I “live only once“ and have always enjoyed with all my The first impression is always decisive, but also dangerous. It is a mixture
senses this world of collecting. of various emotions and primarily defined by the experience of seeing

16
something new and never seen before. After several days my thoughts I have always opposed the widespread opinion that the age of an object
start to become clear, the euphoria vanishes, and if the object, after seeing makes it worth collecting or that it even guarantees artistic quality. Often
it again, still has a strong enough impact, one gets closer to a positive this is the case, but not necessarily. In my view, quality ranks first, age
decision. second. Pieces of furniture from later periods can also have qualities, which
lead us to appreciate and collect them. Not everything made before
1600 is “gold“, and not everything from after 1640 or later deserves to be
dismissed.
In the following, I would like to try to tell the interested reader what was
important to me as a collector of antique Chinese furniture, what I Certainly, in discussing the furniture of the Ming period we can differentiate
wanted to know and find out, what brought me closer to the object, what between an early period, a golden age, a later period and a period of deca-
I considered worth collecting and what was decisive in my acquisitions. dence. In each of these periods excellent pieces were produced however,
which cannot be measured by the average standard.

Proportions, Overall Appearance and Measurements

This is the first impression, which decides whether one feels enthusiastic Conservation and Measures of Restoration
about an object or rejects it. It is the condition for all ensuing reflections. Only very few pieces of furniture have been preserved over a time span of
four hundred years in perfect condition.

The stone floors in Chinese houses were cleaned with water; the damp-
Concept, “Drawing“ and Construction ness would always affect the legs and incur damage to the wood and its-
This decides on the dimensions of all the elements, parts and surfaces. patina.
In China furniture was not drawn, but each piece was based on earlier
examples (meaning a concept). This also included the proven techniques The collector can tolerate replacements to a small degree and in areas that
of wood construction and joinery as handed down for generations. And are not crucial.
yet, each chair and table came out differently: The craftsman gave each an Doubtless, the major parts, for example the doors of a cabinet, the
individual character. tabletop or the splat of a chair have to be in perfect condition and from
the period. Alterations of any kind where the proportions have been
The Wood, its Color, its Rarity and its Patination changed, should be avoided.
If these standards are met on the highest level of perfection, a piece of
furniture appears to be “ennobled“. In China these qualities were highly The sparing application of wax has a good effect; it will put new life into the
appreciated and the customers spared no expense for the most select color of the wood and give the surface a silky matt finish.
pieces of wood.

Age and Date of Origin

Who can date a piece of furniture with any precision?
Stylistic traits have been repeated for decades.

To me the “spirit“ of an individual piece is much more important:

Does it appear monumental, heavy and archaic?
Does it display the lightness, formal confidence and elegance of the middle
period?
Or the frivolous charm and the decorative playfulness of the later decadent
period?

17
Personal Relationship How often is the Collector “Mistaken“?
There can be various reasons: The collector sees, finds or experiences A person rarely starts collecting with a thorough understanding and a clear
a piece in a special situation, he knows its previous owner or he inherits concept right from the start. It lies in the nature of collecting and also gives
it, it was exchanged for another object or obtained through a lucky the collector great pleasure if he gradually approaches an area of collecting
coincidence. as his experience steadily grows.
Such circumstances can have special meaning and be the reason why a Not at first. but only after some time one develops an understanding,
collector does not want to part with an object, regardless of its quality. recognizes the differences and makes fewer mistakes in one’s acquisitions.

I am convinced that even the most “ingenious“ collector in any field is

simply mistaken with ten to fifteen percent of his acquisitions. Just as many
Acquisition objects will only be of minor or mediocre quality and later be replaced
The collector visits an art dealer who shows him ten different objects. It by “better“ ones.
lies in the nature of his profession that he wants to sell all of them.
Of course he will therefore praise the pieces, which he has previously
selected and bought according to his own taste. Consequently, these When a collection is reaching maturity and can be called important or even
pieces are his “collectibles“ and not those of the collector. The dealer be described as having museum quality, at least one third of the objects
therefore cannot understand why the collector is only excited by three of must have been exchanged or replaced in the course of time. And this
them. indeed would be a remarkable success. Is there any collector who did not
An endless dilemma! have this experience?
Error is the source of growth and maturity. This too is collecting!
Most dealers have a lot of experience because they constantly handle such
wares. The collector should profit from this, particularly in the beginning.
He needs to be aware that on his own, without the positive role played by
one or more dealers, he will never achieve the fulfillment of his dreams. A collection is never complete. It can always be improved by balanced
Any attempt to reach one’s goal by buying in the countries of origin or at removal or addition of objects. When did I reach the point of leaving my
auction by oneself, will not be successful. collection as it is?
Ultimately the collector is anyway left to his eye, his taste, his ideas and It was when I did not come across objects any more that I wanted to
wishes, his insecurities and his decisions. exchange for my pieces and when I realized that I was not willing to part
It is useful to listen to one or the other piece of advice. but this can also with any of my “old friends“.
result in confusion and indecision, because one does not differentiate any
more between one’s intuition and the ideas of others.

In the end the collector has to make HIS personal choice. because it is One should not deny that there is a lucrative element in any type of collect-
HIS collection. ing. One will always be happy to acquire a piece at a good price knowing
If later, while looking at his objects, he finds his decisions are being con- that its value will increase over time. For some collectors this profit is
firmed, he will experience this wonderful feeling of joy, which rewards him extremely important, for others less so. But if somebody claims it is of no
for his efforts. importance, this is simply not true.

The forms of Chinese furniture do not exist for their own sake, but they
have cultural and social meaning and useful functions.

18
Nevertheless, I approached these objects from the perspective of a Even today we are striving for an “expression of spiritual values and ideas
European architect. in an artistically adequate form“.
I can sense the contents, guess at them.
But to recognize, explain and interpret them, lies beyond the limits of my Were the Chinese cabinet-makers and their customers not striving for the
knowledge. same goal in the past?
Was it not this intention that motivated their efforts?
I hope I will be forgiven for not having penetrated into this other world of Did they not create their wonderfully refined works in this spirit?
Chinese culture.

I gave priority to the form, PURE FORM or “beauty“, and collected along
this line, supported and encouraged by Goethe: Even a piece of furniture, a piece of Chinese furniture, can be a work of art.
“ The encounter with the sublime or the beautiful, no matter how A work of art in the truest sense of the word.
soothing, worries us, we wish to express our feelings and ideas in words:
but in order to do this we would have to recognize, understand and This is the most important message of my collection.
grasp; we begin by sorting, differentiating and classifying, and even this
we find difficult if not impossible. Thus we finally return to a receptive, Ignazio Vok
enjoying admiration.“ (Italian Journey, 1788)

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20
About the Catalogue

This catalogue does not claim to be a monograph on classical Chinese The Arrangement of Objects in the Catalogue
furniture. follows their overall appearance, and in each group (cabinets, chairs,
It is the catalogue of a collection of personally chosen objects that I have tables ... ) I start with examples displaying an “archaic“ and traditional
assembled over the past fifteen years. construction. This is followed by comparable and related examples and
finally by pieces with a more complex composition. In establishing this
It was not my intention to cover the whole geographical area or all the sequence I have simply relied on my eyes.
periods of Chinese furniture, nor did I want to document all its types and
features of construction.

Rather, the collection developed out of given opportunities and is the result The Plates on the Left Page
of my subjective choice as well as a number of fortunate coincidences. show details and features, which in my view are most important and
characteristic of a piece.

The Large Scale Plates on the Right Page

have all been taken from a front or a side view, like the elevations in
an architect’s plan. It was my goal to achieve clarity and readability while
at the same time creating visual tension in the overall appearance.

The Structure of the Catalogue Entries

The texts written in black are all by Nicholas Grindley. With his expertise he
has also dated the objects and provided references to comparable pieces.

21
Nicholas Grindley The Personal View of the Collector
About the Catalogue Entires appears in the commentaries at the end of the texts and is written in
The descriptions give an overview of the construction of each piece draw- sepia-brown.
ing attention to unusual features in the design or construction. The dating In contrast to Nicholas Grindley’s academic approach, which does not
is somewhat conservative, because a great deal of the “Ming“ furniture allow for interpretations, evaluations and fantasies, the collector has
available to us, albeit following closely the design and construction of docu- taken the liberty to express his feelings towards the objects.
mentary 16th century pieces, fits into a group that is derived from these
earlier forms with subtle and often minute changes in proportion and visual These are related to his predilections, his critical thoughts, his evaluations,
balance of design. The comparative examples cited in the notes are only his categorizations and comparisons, his special affinity to the one or other
specifically related pieces. piece as well as his memories of a long and wonderful period of collecting.

Wherever possible provenance has been given to the objects included in Ignazio Vok
the catalogue, although on many occasions the previous owners wished
to remain anonymous. As the Chinese furniture collecting world becomes
larger and more established over generations, provenance will become
more and more important. Recent dealer provenance has not been included
as it adds little to the history of the object.

Chinese furniture is often difficult to attribute a specific use to, as its func-
tion varies during its life and frequently during the period of a day: a table
used in an entrance hall at the beginning of the day could often be moved
to the side of a bed to position a cosmetic box or dressing mirror on during
the evening. The function of other pieces, such as bookcases or display
shelves, of course did not vary.

The bibliography includes all the books referred to in the notes. This has
resulted in a fairly comprehensive bibliography. It excludes, however,
all dealer catalogues and most auction house catalogues unless these
are relevant to the provenance.

22
Thanks

l owe many people my gratitude.

They have given me advice, information, critical opinions.

I have received co-operation and sympathy.

I am happy to have found genuine friends on the way.

Danke, thank you, merci, grazie

Irmgard Dobro
Peter Paul Eberle
Fausta & Johnny Eskenazi
Giuseppe Eskenazi
Rebecca Feng
Marcus Flacks
Nicholas Grindley
Florian Hufnagl
Herald Oestreicher
Annette & Volker Rautenstengel
Corinna Roesner
Marilena Schiavo
Adele Schlombs
Christian Seidel
Herbert Selldorf
Ingrid & Hans Siedek
Lorenzo Trento
Grace Wu

und Ines und Maria

23
24
Catalogue

25
1

Cabinet
Huanghuali wood, burlwood (huamu), elm wood (jumu), lacquer, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 173.5 cm Width 86.5 cm Depth 44.5 cm

A huanghuali sloping stile cabinet, the stiles, of cushioned square section, The design element of the lower horizontal panel is noteworthy. Such
are splayed in both side and front elevation, and cut to the front face with a panels are called guitangban, cabinet belly panels, or guiduzi, stomach of
double incense stick moulding. The burlwood veneered doors contained in the cabinet. On larger cabinets it is not uncommon for the guitangban to
similar section cushion frame mouldings have three transverse stretchers be divided into three sections, the vertical supports for which strengthen
dovetailed into the huanghuali backing boards. Each door and a removeable the panel.
central stile are mounted with yellow brass lockplates with pendant han-
1 Wang 1986, 214, pl. 143.
dles, all retained by split pins. Beneath the doors is a plain panel with a hori- 2 Wang 1990, 86, pl. 250.
zontal rail beneath which is through-tenoned into the legs. The interior has 3 Ellsworth 1971, 207, pI. 122.
4
two drawers. Evarts 1999, 162.

17th century

The most comparable example of a large sloping stile cabinet with burl-
wood door panels is in the collection of the Beijing Cultural Relics Bureau,
and is constructed of ironwood (tielimu).1

The great majority of illustrations of this type of cabinet is comprised of

cabinets constructed of soft wood. Wang Shixiang illustrates a similar
cabinet made of southern elm (jumu)2, and although he states that that
cabinet is identical to those made in huanghuali, he does not provide
an illustration of such a cabinet in huanghuali. Wang Shixiang discusses
the use of burlwood on the doors of sloping stile cabinets the doors of
which are segmented into smaller panels, noting that materials such as
burlwood or marble were used for their contrast with the wood of the
cabinet. Such cabinets are not uncommon, though they are typically smaller
than the cabinet here, for example the pair formerly in the collection
of Charlotte Horstmann, now in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas
City3 and another smaller cupboard with burlwood doors, from the collec-
tion of the Take One Step Back studi04.

Several cabinets of this type have been preserved.

What is special about this particular piece is its size and the tension
between the linear profiles and the lively patterns of the burlwood
veneered door panels.

The various profiles that frame this piece of furniture and their shadows
delineate its contours and result in a completely satisfying overall
appearance.
The stiles splayed in both frontal and side elevation enhance according to
my feeling its monumentality as though it were elevated into the space.
2

Cabinet
Huanghuali wood, white and yellow brass (baitong, huangtongl. copper (hong tong)
Height 191 cm Width 110 cm Depth 63.2 cm

A huanghuali square-cornered cabinet with two flush floating panel two- Flush-door square-cornered cabinets with plain, rather than shaped, aprons
board doors have inlaid square white brass hinges and lockplates with drop are illustrated by Ellsworth3 and Wu Bruce4.
handles. All the yellow brass fittings are inlaid with a circular yin-yang motif
1 Ecke 1974, 133, pl. 104; Evarts 2000, 155, pl. 51; Wang 1986, 215,, pl. 145.
in copper and are retained by split pins. The removable centre stile has a 2 Handler 2001, 260, pl. 15, 21.
conforming lock plate and handle. The sides of the cabinet are recessed 3 Ellsworth 1971, 219, pl. 133.
4
three-board floating panels. The square-section legs terminate in white Wu Bruce 2000, 166 f., pl. 47.
brass sabots. The interior of the cabinet has a single removable shelf and a
fixed two-drawer shelf unit which contributes to the stability of the cabinet.
The back and the interior of the cabinet are covered with ramie and layers
of red-black lacquer.

The characters “tian zi zuo“ (Heaven word left) are inscribed on the interior
of the right stile and its corresponding door, and the characters “tian zi you“
(Heaven word right) are inscribed on the left door but, interestingly, not on
the corresponding left stile. The upper right side of the central stile is
inscribed with the characters “di zi“ (Earth word). On the left outer side,
aproximately at eye-level, there is an inscription executed with a brush.
The specific meaning of these inscriptions is unclear as yet.

17th century

Huanghuali square-cornered cabinets that are not compound cabinets are

relatively rare. Published examples of square-cornered cabinets have
recessed door panels and either carved aprons or angular beaded aprons.1
The Ecke example is a cupboard with recessed door panels and a quarter-
round moulding on the inside edge of the frame which is very similar to
the mouldings on the side panels of the cupboard discussed here, it also
has a shaped apron carved in high relief.

By contrast, all the published examples of huanghuali square-cornered cabi-

nets with flush-panel doors are compound cabinets, for example, the pair
of cabinets previously in the collection of the Museum of Classical Chinese
Furniture2, exhibit very similarly shaped aprons to that being discussed
here. The example under discussion here appears to be the only example
of a huanghuali square-cornered cabinet with flush-panel doors and a
shaped apron with recessed side panels.

The frontal view of this cabinet resembles a drawn draft. This impression
is further enhanced by the thoughtful placement of the rectangular brass
fittings.
The overall appearange displays a balance of weight and tension.

This is what delights the eyes of an architect.

3

Bookcase
Zitan wood and cedar (nanmu)
Height 173.1 cm Width 62.6 cm Depth 33.6 cm

A zitan and cedar open shelf bookcase with a zitan frame of openwork Others have additional drawer units3 and lattice railings with or without
box construction with the horizontal members mitred and tenoned into the drawer units4. Interestingly only the Minneapolis Institute of Art example
vertical members with exposed tenons for the top, middle and lowest has transverse stretchers on the underside of the top shelf, as is the case
shelves. The flush floating shelf panels of nanmu supported on single dove- with the example illustrated here.
tailed transverse stretchers. The short eared aprons, cut from one piece,
1 Wang 1990, 82.
are tongue and grooved into the inside edges of the legs and butt-joined to 2 Zhu 2002, 224 f., pI. 187; Wang 1986, 198, pI. 130; Wu Bruce 1991, 107, pl. 40.
the underside of the lowest shelf frame. 3 Evarts 1999, 164; Handler 1993, 168, fig. 5.
4 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 143, pl. 49; Wang 1990, 142 f., pI. 6D, 7D; Wang, Evarts 1995,
122. pI. 57; Wu Bruce 1991, 109, pI. 41; Evarts 2000, 161, pI. 54.
17th to 18th century

The spacing of the fixed open shelves of this austere and beautiful book-
case, do not appear to conform to any standard protocol for proportion. The
fact that the tallest space is that above the uppermost shelf is unusual
and somewhat counterintuitive. Moreover, the extreme slenderness of the
bookcase illustrated here is reinforced by the unusal survival of the height
of the feet.

Chinese bookcases, or as Wang Shixiang1 describes them, open-shelf

stands, because they can be used for the display of objects as well as for
the storing of books are documented in a variety of forms, the most typi-
cal being a four-shelf model with open sides and back. The purest form
is that which is illustrated here: open sides and back, no drawers, and no
side railings to the shelves. Examples of this style are shown in Zhu, Wang
and Wu Bruce.2

If the three lower shelves with equal spacing were meant to hold books,
then there must have been an intentional reason why the top shelve
has this uniquely tall space. Probably it served for the display of a special
object.

For many years I had been looking for such a piece. Because of their
fragility and lightness only very few examples from the “classical period“
have survived.

In this piece there is just form and funciion!

And it is far removed from anything related to decoration and ornament!
Is there any way to keep it more minimal?
And all of this was already possible in the late 17th century.
Nothing was invented recently!
4, 5

Pair of bookcases
Walnut (hutaol, unidentified softwood, lacquer, clay
Height 159 cm Width 82 cm Depth 42 cm

A pair of walnut open bookcases or display shelves of upright rectangular Wang Shixiang, in his discussion on bookcases says, “When the spaces
shape constructed of square section members, the outer surface of each of these bookcases are divided and the shelves are of different sizes, and
being cut with a concave moulding with sharp edges and joined at each placed at different levels, they are called duobaoge, or display cabinets.
corner with a mitred mortice-and-tenon joint with hidden tenons. The three Although their decoration may be simple, they date to the Oing dynasty.“ 1
shelves, two full width and one half width, constructed in a complemen- This pair of display cabinets would originally have been supported on stands,
tary inverted form, are mitred, mortice and hidden tenoned into the frame probably of an openwork design. Wang Shixiang illustrates a huanghuali
and have flush floating black lacquer shelves with transverse dovetailed bookcase from his own collection which has two high, removable base
stretchers. There is considerable lacquer and clay undercoating to these supports to elevate it from the floor2, a cedar bookcase from the Kai-Yin Lo
shelves and to the top and bottom. Collection has a separate drawer-unit base which fits beneath the short
legs of the bookcase3. The proportions of the pair of display cabinets illus-
18th century trated here would indicate that base stands having proportions more
along the lines of the Kai-Yin Lo example, although probably of open con-
Provenance: By repute, Ellsworth & Goldie, New York. struction, would have originally accompanied these cabinets.
Edwin Cohen, New York (19687-1984).
Private collection, Chicago (1986-2002). 1 Wang 1990,82.
2 Wang 1990, 144, pl. 9D.
3 Yungmingtang 1998, 159, pI. 31.

What a difference in comparison to the preceding bookcase no. 3: The two

pieces are wider, the arrangement of the shelves is different and they
correspond with each other, and the colour of the wood is much brighter.
The vertical and horizontal profiles have a concave molding to their outer
faces (see drawing); the play of light and shadow makes them appear
more slender and lighter. The spirit of the Oing dynasty is fully present.

These bookcases never had any feet; they either stood on wide pedestals
or were placed on an elevation in the room.

When I first saw these pieces, I mentally acquired them within a few
minutes.

Already at the time when they were made, these pieces of furniture must
have satisfied the demands of their owners – mostly their desire to
display magnificent objects of varying size. In order to present them most
favourably, they were set into the context of a wide and unostentatious
frame. Arranged side by side with some space in between, the overall
appearance had great effect and displayed a refined sense of proportion.
6, 7, 8, 9

Four armchairs
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 122cm Width 66 cm Depth 60 cm

A set of four huanghuali high yokeback armchairs with rounded ends to the armposts that continue through the seat frame to form the front legs;
upright outlines of the yokes, which are supported on backward-curving type 3 with toprails with square ends and front arm posts that cut back into
rear stiles, with wide splats. All of the four splats have a matching grain and the seat rail and type 4 with toprails with square ends and front armposts
have been cut from the same piece of wood. The mitred, mortice and that continue through the seat frame to form the front legs.
tenon seat frame is cut with a strong moulding above square shoulder. The
flat, S-shaped arms are supported on “cut-back posts“ with short, tapering Of the first category a single example which is identical to those illustrat-
“rat-tail posts“ in the centre of the arms. The footrail and side and back ed here, is illustrated in “Living with Ming – the Lu Ming Shi Collection“.’ 1
stretchers are arrranged in ascending heights with mitred, beaded shaped An example of a variant of a type 1 is illustrated in Zhu.2
aprons to the front and sides finished with a beaded edge. The seats are
of replaced soft matting construction. Needless to say, there are endless variations within these categories.
1 Wu Bruce 2000, 56, pI. 4.
Late 16th to early 17th century 2 Zhu 2002,41, pI. 27.

Provenance: Chairs 6 and 7, Private collection, London.

Published: Kerr 2000, 81.

There are four basic categories of yokeback armchairs: type 1 with toprails
with rounded ends and front arm posts that cut back into the seat rail as
those illustrated here; type 2 with toprails with rounded ends and front

According to all the “classical“ criteria of traditional Ming furniture, these

chairs rank highly in my collection.

No other set of four pieces of furniture that belong together is known.

Most certainly they had a representational function, when they were
arranged symmetrically one way or other in a room. They were all made at
a cabinetmaker’s workshop at the same time; the measurements are
the same, the splats were cut from the same piece of wood, identical metal
fittings were applied in the same manner to support their structure and
all of the four chairs have the same brass fitting to cover their footrails.
Only the patina varies slightly from pair to pair.

Owing to fortunate coincidences I was able to acquire both pairs after

an interval of several years form different sources and reunite them
For a collector this is a great moment.
10

Armchair
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane
Height 125.5 cm Width 57.5 cm Depth 51 cm

A huanghuali armchair of so-called Southern Official’s hat or continuous

yokeback design of very well balanced proportions. The yoke, flattened
in the middle, curves slightly backwards and down to join the rear posts
which themselves curve slightly back before passing through the seat
frame to form the back legs. The S-shaped arms, with central tapering rat
tail posts, curve over and down to join the front posts before passing
through the seat frame to form the front legs. The wide splat is of S-shape
with rounded edges. Beneath the seat to the front and sides are plain
mitred aprons. The arrangement of the stretchers is somewhat unusual
with the footrail and the side stretchers at the same height with the
rear stretcher oval in section and higher. There are plain mitred aprons to
the front and sides. The seat is of replaced soft matting construction.

17th century

The exceptional height of this single chair gives it the most beautifully bal-
anced proportions particularly with the plain simple apron which lends it a
lightness not normally associated with chairs of this design which are often
“bottom heavy“.

An example with this arrangment of stretchers associated with high

continuous yokebacks is illustrated by Wu Bruce1, and another one by
Berliner2 for an example with hardstone inlay to the backsplat.

1 Wu Bruce 1991, 26, pI. 3.

2 Berliner 1996, 109-111, pI. 10.

This is an extremely high chair, most certainly designed in the traditional

manner.

Impressive is the sculptural quality of the slightly shaped structural mem-

bers in the upper part of the backrest.

A proud, self-confident piece of furniturewith dramatic effect.

11, 12

Pair of armchairs
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane
Height 88.2 cm Width 61 cm Depth 53.2 cm

A pair of huanghuali continuous horseshoe armchairs. The horseshoe

shaped back is of three sections tenoned into the front posts which continue
through the seat rail to form the front legs. The slightly shaped rear posts
are tenoned into the underside of the back and continue through the
seat frame to form the back legs. The S-shaped splat is tenoned into the
underside of the back and into the back rail of the seat frame. The hump-
back apron is hidden tenoned into the legs and joined to the underside of
the seat frame by short mitred uprights, repeated at the sides. The
stretchers, arrranged in ascending heights, are through tenoned into the
legs. The seat is of replaced soft matting construction.

Late 17th to early 18th century.

Provenance: Private collection, London.

Published: China Style 2002, 42.

Three pairs of almost identical chairs of this type are published, a pair in
the Cleveland Museum of Art1, another pair in the Philadelphia Museum of
Art2 and the pair illustrated in Ecke3.
1 Ellsworth 1971, 128, pI. 19.
2 Lee 1963, 63, pI. 7.
2 Ecke 1974, 106, pI. 85.

Ever since I began to collect I wanted to have this extremely rare and
elegant type of chair.

The circular shaped backrail winds around the body of the seated person,
lowers in the front to serve as an armrest and continues after a slight curve
to form the front legs of the chair.

A sculpture, a piece of furniture that surrounds and embraces a person.

13

Stool
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane
Height 47.2 cm Diameter 44.5 cm

A huanghuali round drumstool with a four part scarf jointed seat frame cut
from one piece but carved to simulate two layers with the lower section
much smaller. Tenoned into the underside of the frame are eight curled
legs, each cut with a central channel, and alternately through tenoned into
the footrail which itself is constructed as the seat frame with four scarf
joints.

17th century

A stool of identical design from the collection of the Beijing Hardwood

Furniture Factory is illustrated in Wang. In his notes to the illustrations
Wang Shixiang points out that the base stretcher originally had small feet
like other round stools1 and there are traces of four sets of pegs to the
underside.

A somewhat similar but simplified stool in zitan is illustrated by Tian Jiaqung

where he ascribes it a late Ming, 17th century date.2
1 Wang 1986, 69, pI. 26; id. 1990, 28, 33, pI. 32A
2 Tian 1999, 195, fig. 3

Eight curled elements are set between two circular frames. Each of them
is a beautiful object in itself.

The top can serve as the bottom and vice versa.

The classical design of Ming dynasty wood furniture can hardly be sensed.

Certainly the idea goes back to stools made from other materials (ceramics
or metal), which were appropriate for the garden because of their wide foot.

A stool or a sculpture for the garden?

14, 15

Pair of stools
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane
Height 52 cm Width 59.4 cm Depth 55.3 cm

A pair of huanghuali rectangular stools of typical mitred, mortice and tenon

frame construction, the outside edge of the frame with a double cushion
moulding cut from one piece. The round legs, slightly splayed in both front
and end elevation, are joined by a hump back stretcher which tenons into
and wraps around the legs.

17th century

The overall design of these stools is inspired by bamboo furniture con-

struction where the round section bamboo framing member or stretcher
is cut and bent around the vertical leg member and then tied in place.

The principle of construction of these types of stools was derived from the
much more common bamboo furniture.

Their height – about 50 cm – is always the same. The larger the dimension
of their seat, the more satisfying the proportion of the whole stool. Another
crucial element is the color of the wood and its patination.

The oversll shape is clean and functional.

16

Bench
Zitan wood, palm fibre, woven eane
Height 52.1 cm Width 175.6 cm Depth 48.6 cm

A zitan bench of typical mitred, mortice and tenon frame construction, the
outside edge of the frame with a double cushion moulding cut from one
piece. The round legs, slightly splayed in both front and end elevation, are
joined by straight stretchers which tenon into and wrap around the legs
and have three vertical struts mitred and tenoned into the upper face of the
stretcher and into the underside of the frame to the long sides and one
to the short side.

17th century

Benches of this size are practically unknown and do not conform to the
standard format of patterns of designs normally adhered to by Chinese fur-
niture makers. All of the other “elongated stool“ forms are larger, falling
into the catagory of daybed (tal with typically larger dimensions, for exam-
ple the daybed in the Hung Collection1 which is 202 cm wide by 67.3 cm
deep. Similarly the daybed in the Honolulu Academy of Arts2 which is
slightly larger at 210 cm long by 70 cm deep. Both of these examples
exhibit the same bamboo furniture inspired construction. Replacements
to the long stretchers and lower seat frame members probably indicate
that this example has been reduced in size.
1 Ellsworth 1996, 104, no. 32.
2 Ellsworth 1971,146, pI. 37; id. 1982, 45, no. 12.
17, 18

pair of armchairs
Zitan wood, palm fibre, woven eane
Height 83.8 cm Width 55.6 cm Depth 45 cm

A pair of zitan so-called “rose chairs“ with a horizontal toprail pipe jointed
to the rear stiles which continue through the seat frame to form the back
legs. The horizontal arms are also pipe jointed into the front posts which in
turn continue through to form the front legs. The back is decorated with a
mitred apron of curvilinear shape with a raised beaded edge and central
entwined tendrils, beneath this is a horizontal rail supported on two posts,
a design repeated to the arms. Beneath the seat frame are hump-back
aprons butt jointed to the underside of the seat, a design repeated in the
aprons beneath the footrail and side stretchers. The seat is of replaced
soft matting construction.

18th century

Although huanghuali chairs of this design are relatively common zitan

“rose chairs“ (meigui yi) are very rare.

An almost identical example from the Chite Chen collection is published

in Evarts1.
1 Evarts 1999, 94.
19

Armchair
Huanghuali wood, palm fibre, woven cane
Height 85 cm Width 75 cm Depth 75 cm

A large huanghuali armchair of elegant proportions and slender members Sarah Handler in her discussion of this chair illustrates a woodblock illus-
with a horizontal toprail mitred and tenoned to the rear stiles which continue tration to Tianzhu lingqian, “Efficacious Charms from the Tianzhu“ an illus-
through the seat frame to form the back legs. The horizontal arms are also trated edition of Buddhist moral tales from the Jiading period (1208-24)1,
tenoned into the front posts, which in turn continue through to form the and a detail of a handscroll “Four Landscape Scenes“ probably dating from
front legs. The seat frame, now with a replaced soft matting seat, has two the mid 15th century, after Liu Songnian (ca. 1150 till after 1225), now in
transverse stretchers with high hump-backed aprons with two vertical the Palace Museum, Beijing.
posts to each side. The stretchers are typically arranged in ascending
heights from the footrail to the rear stretcher. Another huanghuali chair, less elegant because of the vertical posts in the
back and arm openings, but complete with its removeable back rest
18th century was advertised in Orientations magazine2 then in the possession of Ever
Arts Classic Furniture.
Provenance: Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, California.
Christie’s, New York, 19th September 1996 (Lot 93).
Private collection, Singapore. This chair has been described in the many times it has been published
as a “meditation“ chair because of the size of the seating area which
Exhibited: Pacific Heritage Museum, San Francisco, 1995. would enable the occupant to sit in the lotus position whilst meditating and
Published: Handler 1991, 42, fig. 4, id. 1992, 27, fig. 2. although the proportions of this chair would indeed allow this the literary
Lackman Mott 1993, 54, fig. 1. references to meditation chair design do not support this description. Klaas
Wang, Evarts 1995, 72 f., pI. 34.
Handler 2001, 29, fig. 24. Ruitenbeek in his translation of the Classic of Lu Ban gives the proportions
of a slightly overscaled yokeback armchair with a fixed splat and everted
This chair is an extraordinary example of a form which is very pure and sim- yoke rail.3 Quoting from Gao Lian’s “Eight Discourses on the Art of Living“
ple, considered by some authorities a precursor of the twentieth century (Zun sheng ba jian), first published in 1591, Sarah Handler also refers to
designs of Marcel Breuer’s “Wassily chair“ of the 1920’s. The simple form a highback chair.4
exhibited here is lacking the removeable caned back rest which would
have hooked over the toprail and form the support for the back of the sitter. “A meditation chair is half as big again as an ordinary chair. Only the ‘water
A number of examples of this complete form are known from paintings polish’ ones are fine, although speckled bamboo is also possible. In this
and woodblock prints. style the horizontal rail for pillowing the head at the top of the back needs
to be broad and thick before they are acceptable for use.“ Wen Zhenheng
in the section on furniture in his “Treatise on Superfluous Things“ (Zhang
wu zhi), dated by Craig Clunas5 to about 1615-20 does not specifically
define the form of meditation chairs but says that they are made of cane
from Mt. Tiantai or of naturally gnarled timbers. An example of this type
of chair taken from a woodblock print in “The Plum in the Golden Vase“
(Jin ping mei), is also illustrated by Sarah Handler6.
1 Handler 2001, 25-35.
2 Orientations. Vol. 25, no. 9 (Sept. 1994). 11.
3 Ruitenbeek 1993, 229 f., ch. II, no. 40.
4 Handler 2001, 25-35.
5 Clunas 1991, 20.
6 Handler 2001, 34, fig. 2.10.

This chair speaks for itself.

May it meditate on its own beauty for many years to come.

The encounter with such a piece of furniture is one of the great highlights
in the life of a collector.
20,21

Pair of armchairs
Huanghuali wood, elmwood (jumu), palm fibre, woven cane
Height 96.5 cm Width 59.9 cm Depth 51 cm

A pair of huanghuali continuous yokeback armchairs, the inward curving No other chairs of this form and configuration are known to date but the
rounded section top rail pipe jointed to the rear stiles, which continue distinctly curved seat rail is very close to a pair of zitan chairs previously in
through the seat frame to form the back legs. The C-curved tapering splat the collection of the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture1.
has two uprights, square in section with convex mouldings to the front
and two horizontal rails are mitred and tenoned into the uprights, the upper The arrangement of the aprons beneath the seat and the footrail is similar
one with the top rail framing a floating panel carved with a ruyi head, the to a pair of low-back chairs illustrated by Tian Jiaqing2.
lower two rails framing a plain elmwood rectangular panel with a raised
1 Wang, Evarts 1995, 66, pl. 31.
panel to the centre, and the lower rail with a shaped spandrel with raised 2 Tian 1996, 90, pI. 23.
moulding to the edge. The S-shaped arms are supported on vertical uprights
to which they are pipe jointed and which continue through the seat frame
to form the front legs with central S-shaped tapering braces. The front rail
of the seat frame is curved, the line repeated to the apron and footrest.
The circular section apron rail is tenoned into the legs with four uprights to
the front and three to the sides. The mitred back apron is of plain eared
shape. The side and back stretchers are oval in section and are arranged in
ascending heights.

Late 17th century

Provenance: Private collection, New York.

Published: China Style 2002, 50 f.

Which collector could resist this pair of chairs?

It has an attractive appearance,

It has harmonious proportions,
It has confidence of shape,
It has perfect craftsmanship,
It is rare.

These forms were developed from a long tradition and yet they appear
modern.
Chinese craftsmen have created impressive works of art.
22, 23

Pair of folding chairs

Unidentified softwood probably northern elm (jumu), lacquer, woven rope
Height 94.8 cm Width 53.5 cm Depth 62 cm

A pair of black lacquered folding chairs with a curved toprail flattened in

the centre and pipe joined to the rear stiles which pass through the rear
seat frame to become the front legs and are through tenoned into the
rectangular base stretcher. The narrow S-shaped splat is tenoned into the
underside of the toprail and into the back rail of the seat. The back legs
are tenoned into the underside of the front seat rail and are pivot hinged to
the front legs before terminating at the base stretcher.

18th century

Regional attribution of Chinese furniture, without specific provenance at

the time it was acquired, is difficult but it would appear that these chairs
are related to those found in Southern Shanxi or Henan provinces.

For other examples of somewhat similar form from Shanxi see Evarts
and Ma.1
1 Evarts, Ma 1999, 132-136, pis. 42-44.
24

Peclining chair
Hongmu wood, burlwood (huamu), canvas cloth
Height 66 cm Width 106.7 cm Depth 52.1 cm

A hongmu reclining chair of fixed X-frame construction with a serpentine

crest rail with three recessed burlwood small panels with a similarly
shaped rail beneath to affix the cloth seat. This cresting rail is mitred and
tenoned into the rear posts which are half-lapped to the front posts
and continue forward to create the front legs. The front posts are joined
by a serpentine flat rail and a slightly shaped circular section rail to affix
the other end of the cloth seat, and similarly half-lap with the rear posts to
form the back legs which curl upwards at the end to small roundels. There
are vertical bracing uprights to support the posts in their fixed positions.

18th to 19th century

This chair, regardless of its complicated design and myriad members, is

very elegant and well balanced with the shaping of the crest rail and the
front rail to accomodate the sitter as well as the slight shaping of the fixing
rails for the canvas sling seat. The lightness of design is enhanced by such
details as the front stretcher turning downwards and the back upwards
as well as the slight shaping just above the feet so that the design does
not appear too heavy where it meets the ground.

It would have been a mistake not to include this relatively late reclining
chair in my collection.

Its shape, the types of joinery and the design of the decorative details are
still inspired by the philosophy of Ming dynasty furniture.

I have always imagined a woman lying in this chair. Is it a feminine piece

of furniture?

An attractive and amusing object without any parallels.

25

Pedestal table
Burlwood (huamu). Zitan wood
Height 92.3 cm Width 208.4 cm Depth 42 cm

A plank top pedestal table with a long top of beautifully figured burlwood
cleated along the front and ends to stop it twisting and with an applied
moulding to the lower edge which is recessed slightly from the gently
curved front face and which is flush with the end faces. The zitan pedestals
of typical mitred, mortice and tenon construction with flush floating panel
tops and low bracket feet.

The plank top probably 17th century

Pedestal writing tables are relatively rare, Wang Shixiang illustrates a deeper
example noting that “this is the only example of a desk with two pedestals
and a wide removeable top“l although “wide“1 think here is the most
elevant word as it measures 69.5 cm in depth. Wang goes on to point out
that the previous owner had cut the frame top from 250 cm to 192 cm in
length.

Tian Jiaqing illustrates another huanghuali example also less deep at

38 cm but with a replaced top.2 He mentions, as do many other authors on
this matter that the availability of such a large solid plank, in this case of
huanghuali, was too much to resist for many dealers and that they were
often cannibalised to make into other wooden objects.3

1 Wang 1990, 73, 117, pI. 124B.

2 Tian 1996, 198, no. 88.
3 Wu Bruce 1998, 92, pl. 17.

The frontal view of this powerful table and its principle of construction
supplant any other superfluous element.

The “archaic“ form of such tables is present just like at the time when
they were made.
26

Corner leg table with everted flanges

Huanghuali wood
Height 91 cm Width 208 cm Depth 39.5 cm

A large huanghuali rectangular table with a solid plank top with inset cleated
everted ends which slightly overhangs the apron and into which the
rectangular section legs are double lock mortice and tenoned and mitred
and half-lapped to the plain aprons.

16th to 17th century

There are not many tables of similar design to this example, the closest
in form, construction and probably date is from the “Take One Step Back“
collection.1 A similar table, also close in date, is the example from the
Gangolf Geis Collection sold at Christie’s in New York.2 A table of probably
comparable date and construction is illustrated by Wang Shixiang from
the collection of Fei Boliang.3

Another solid top table in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of

Arts4 exhibits a lighter feel in its overall drawing suggesting a slightly later
date, probably into the first half of the 17th century. The only other pub-
lished table of comparable design and date was in the collection of the
Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture.5 It has an ingeniously constructed
hollow top made to resemble a solid panel. For a comprehensive discus-
sion of this table and its construction see the article by Curtis Evarts.6

1 Evarts 1999, 144.

2 Christie’s New York, 18th Sept. 2003, lot 44.
3 Wang 1990,89, pl. B64.
4 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 120, pl. 39.
5 Wang, Evarts 1995, 108, pl. 51.
6 Evarts 1992 (1). 4-12.

The overall appearance of this table is most impressive.

There are the dimensions,
There is the proportion between the front and the sides,
There is the tapering of the legs,
There are the splayed legs in front and side elevation,
There are the everted ends to the tabletop which flow into space and give
the table a monumental appearance.

The power and the strength of this piece of furniture can best be seen
through a side view.

An important object for me and for the collection.

27

Inset leg table

Huanghuali wood
Height 81 cm Width 23.1 cm Depth 62.5 cm

A very long huanghuali table with a single board flush floating panel top
contained within a typical mitred, mortice and tenon frame with six trans-
verse stretchers. The round section legs are cut to receive the aprons and
cloud shaped spandrels which are, in turn, cut with a simple raised bead.
Between the legs are high stretchers, oval in section and flat on the lower
side, loose tenoned into the legs with the lower stretcher secured with
a bamboo peg.

Late 17th to early 18th century

This type of table is a development of one of the most common and long-
lived designs in Chinese furniture, the inset leg bridle joint table with sim-
ple unadorned aprons.This original form has frequently been defined as the
standard table 1 and can be traced back to at least the tenth century when
it appears in a handscroll by Gu Hongzhong entitled “The Night Revels of
Han Xizai“2 and of which the earliest firmly dateable example, albeit in
miniature, is the table in the Shanghai Museum from the tomb of Pan Yun-
zheng who died in 1589.3

The cloud shaped spandrel develops from this plain spandrel, probably in
the late 17th century, and then reduces in size in relation to the table leg
and apron culminating in the example dated 8th june 1739, exhibited by
Nicholas Grindley4 in November 2002 and in the related painting of the
emperor Qianlong looking at a painting entitled “Washing the Elephant“ by
Giuseppe Castiglione and Ding Guanpeng in the Palace Museum, Beijing.5
1 Handler 1983; Wang 1990; et al.
2 Zhu 1987, 77 ff., no. 25.
3 Berliner 1996, 150, pI. 30d.
4 Grindley 2002, pl. 7.
5 Zhang 2002, 109, pI. 57.
28

Corner leg table

Huanghuali wood
Height 86.6 cm Width 183.5 cm Depth 52 cm

A long huanghuali rectangular table with a single board flush floating panel
top with five transverse stretchers. The outside edge of the frame is cut
with three flat mouldings reflecting the hexagonal shaping to the legs. The
aprons, with square jointed, facetted shaped spandrels, are tongue and
grooved into the splayed hexagonal section legs. There are corner giant’s
arm braces tenoned diagonally into the inside of the legs and half-lapped
and pinned into the end transverse stretchers.

Late 17th to early 18th century

Tables with hexagonal legs and spandrels are very rare; an example was
published by Peter and Sandra Lai1 although in this case the giants arm
braces appear to be tenoned into the legs at a slightly lower point, but no
others. are recorded. I n the example under discussion each of the span-
drels from where they join the square underside of the apron have been
replaced. Wang Shixiang records a pair of bookcases in the art gallery
Rong Bao Zhai in Beijing with hexagonal section legs and there is another
of this form in a private collection in the US but both of these have plain
curved spandrels to the aprons.2

A rectangular round leg table with square inner shoulders of the same
construction, from the collection of Dr S.Y. Yip has mitred pierced cloud
motif spandrels.3 A square table of the same design and shaped mitred
spandrel is in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum.4
1 Lai 1992.
2 Wang 1990, 82, pI. 1 D.
3 Wu Bruce 1991, 62, pl. 20.
4 Zhu 2002, 85, pl. 69.

The austere contours with the diagonally splayed legs gives this long table
a solid, self-confident appearance.

There is hardly any other piece of furniture that corresponds more to my

European aesthetic conception.
29

Inset leg, everted end table

Huanghuali wood (solid and veneer), pine, burlwood (huamu) veneer
Height 83 cm Width 206.6 cm Depth 63.2 cm

A large huanghuali table with a laminated burlwood floating panel on a pine An early example of this last group of tables now in the Palace Museum,
ground contained within a huanghuali frame with applied everted ends. Beijing of massive proportions 89 x 343.5 x 50 cm in tielimu is dated by an
This top is loose tenoned to the base which is free standing. The square inscription under the solid panel top to 1640.2
section legs with quarter round mouldings to each corner and a concave
1 Wang 1990, 63.
outer face, are cut to receive the long aprons and mitred spandrels. joining 2 Wang 1990, 65, pl. 92B; Eeke 1974, 66, pI. 87.
the tops of the legs are huanghuali veneered horizontal rails forming the
upper face for the mitred shaped aprons between the legs and tying the
free standing base together across its depth. Beneath the shaped aprons
are a waved rail scrolling upwards in the centre and tenoned into the
inside edges of the legs. Beneath this a flat slab foot with shallow bracket
feet is cut with a soft moulding to its upper edge.

17th century

Provenanee: Private eolleetion, London.

These long recessed leg tables have either flush mitred joints at the top
of the legs or bridle joints, either of unmitred or mitred form as here.
The latter group can be sub-divided into three types: tables without low
stretchers, tables with legs joined by low stretchers at the sides and
those with base stretchers that connect the legs under the feet as here.
Wang1 also subdivides this last group into those with just a framing
apron following the line of the legs and those with a carved or pierced
panel between the legs, of which this example is probably a further
subdivision of the last group.

In comparison with other tables in this collection, this table has a more
complex structure and displays several elements that are intentionally
decorative.
This piece of furniture claims the attention and wants to please the eye.

In order to pay homage to the qualities of austerity and strength, the collector
also must have experienced and enjoyed the qualities of playfulness,
dreaminess or even decadence.
30

Corner leg table

Huanghuali wood
Height 87 cm Width 173.5 cm Depth 51 cm

A huanghuali rectangular table with typical mitred, mortice and tenon

frame top with a two board flush floating panel top with five dovetailed
transverse stretchers beneath the top with the three alternate stretchers
with exposed tenons in the long members of the frame. The recessed
waist and beaded edge apron, cut from one piece of wood, is mitred and
half-lapped into the legs which in turn are mitred and double-lock mortice
and tenoned into the frame top. The hump-back stretchers are flush
mitred into the inside edge of the legs and continue the running line of
the beaded edge which terminates at the horsehoof foot. There are
dovetailed wedges securing the apron to the underside of the top on the
long sides of the table.

17th century

A miniature table of this design, although of slightly deeper proportions

and lacking the hump-back stretcher, was excavated from the tomb
of Pan Yunzheng who died in 1589 and is now in the Shanghai Museum.1
A very similar, smaller, table is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert
Museum (FE. 21 -1980) although this lacks the sophistication of the beaded
edge continuing along the hump-back stretcher.2
The timber from which this table is made is most interesting in that the
grain of the wood, particularly the framing and apron members is highly
figured with many “eye“ patterns, something one normally only finds on
smaller objects such as brush pots.
1 Berliner 1996, 159, pI. 30e.
2 Clunas 1988, 48, pI. 33.

The proportions of this table, its lightness and its linear elegance were
reasons enough to acquire it.

Another characteristic that satisfies the eye is the grain and the colour of
the tabletop. The wood of the frame and the inset panel top display the
same quality of grain.
Obviously this sort of precious and refined appearance of a piece of furniture
was most desired in China at the time.

Today, my hand too, takes great pleasure in passing over this smooth and
exciting surface.
31

Corner leg table

ditan wood, Huanghuali wood
Height 81.3 cm Width 137.2 cm Depth 38.7 cm

A zitan rectangular table with a huanghuali single board flush floating panel
top. The outside edge of the frame is carved to represent two boards, the
lower of slightly smaller size. The round legs are double lock mortice and
tenoned into the top, splay in both front and end elevation and are joined by
a high hump-backed stretcher, convex to the outside and square to the
inner faces, which “wraps“ around the legs and is joined to the underside
of the top by short posts of similar design, two to each long side and one
to each short side.

Early 18th century

Wang Shixiang illustrates a comparable table from the Summer Palace,

Beijing, although it differs in not having the double moulded top it is of
almost identical dimensions. The entry for this table records “this is one of
several dozen zitan wood small side tables and narrow kang tables
to be found in the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace. Probably they
were all made for the Imperial Palace in the early Qing dynasty1.
1 Wang 1986, 147, pl. 93.

An exceptionally beautiful table with a positive aura and very elegant

proportions.

One of the highlights of the collection.

32

Small square table

Huanghuali wood
Height 82.5 cm Width/Depth 72 cm

A huanghuali square table with a typical mitred, mortice and tenon frame
top with a two board flush floating panel with two dovetailed transverse
stretchers beneath. The outside edge of the frame is strongly convex.
The concave waist below, made from one piece of wood with the convex
apron is mitred and half-lapped into the top of the round section legs.
Between the legs is a high angular hump - back stretcher in five sections
to each side, each section mitred and through tenoned to the next.

17th to 18th century

This table is the first piece of Chinese furniture that I acquired. I got it in
Milan from my friend Johnny Eskenazi in 1989.

It is exceptionally clearly “drawn“ and also has an attractive appearance.

Reasons enough, to chose it for the title of this catalogue.
33, 34

Two very similar square tables

Huanghuali wood, Hongmu wood, raime, lacquer
Height 86.5 cm Width 92.5 cm Depth 93 cm / Height 87 cm Width 92 cm Depth 92 cm

Two very similar square tables, one constructed of huanghuali one of

hongmu, of typical mitred, mortice and tenon frame construction with a
three board flush floating panel top with three dovetailed transverse stretch-
ers beneath, tenoned into the framing rails with the outer two exposed.
The outside edge of the frame has a strong convex moulding above a simi-
larly moulded apron rail which is slightly smaller in radius. Beneath this
the apron is divided into three sections by vertical posts to each side with
floating recessed panels pierced with flattened ovals bordered by a
raised bead and with straight stretcher matching the apron rail. The round
section legs are double - lock mortice and tenoned into the frame top
and splay slightly in both elevations.

17th to 18th century

This design of table, like the stools 14 and 15, is inspired by bamboo furni-
ture construction where the round section bamboo framing member or
stretcher is cut and bent around the vertical leg member and then tied in
place.

A very similar table in huanghuali from the collection of Dr Otto Burchard

also 92 cm square but probably reduced in height to 80 cm is illustrated by
Gustav Ecke1.

1 Eeke 1974, pis. 47, 63.

35

Square stand
Huanghuali wood
Height 82.7 cm Width/Depth 36.8 cm

A huanghuali square stand of upright shape with a typical mitred, mortice Other incense stands with foot stretchers are illustrated by Wu Bruce3.
and tenon frame top with a two board flush floating panel top with a single There are no signs of this stand having had a foot stretcher as there are
dovetailed transverse stretcher. The outside edge of the frame has a normally remnants of the square locating peg in the base of the horsehoof
strong groove along the lower edge. The waistless flush apron is mitred foot which was fixed through the mitred corner of the foot stretcher, nor is
and half lapped into the legs which are double lock mortice and tenoned this stand lower than one would expect. Unusually the inner face of one of
into the frame top and cut with a raised beaded edge which continues down the apron rails is cut with a raised beaded edge just like the outer face.
the square section legs to terminate in the horse hoof foot. Did the craftsman make a mistake when the rail was on the bench and not
want to waste his work? We shall never know.
17th century
1 Lin 1996, 18, pI. 5.
2 Ibid., 38, pI. 13.
Tall stands of this form were used for displaying rock sculptures, miniature 3 Wu Sruee 1991, 98, pl. 36; Wu Sruee 2000, 94, pI. 17.
plants (penzai). flower vases or incense burners but are usually refered to
as incense stands.

The catalogue of the National Palace Museum’s exhibition of furniture in

Chinese paintings shows two details of square incense stands. The earliest
in a painting entitled “Washing the Moon“ by an unknown painter of the
Five Dynasties (907–960) although possibly a late Song copy (12th to
13th centuries) is in what appears to be red lacquer and has the typical foot
stretcher associated with this type of stand.1

Another, in what appears to be wood, from a painting attributed to a Song

dynasty painter but again possibly a later copy, in this case of the Ming
period, entitled“ Listening to the Lute“2 has an open section leg and a foot
stretcher.

A small table of simple, “classical“ form, clear expression and special aura.
36

Rectangular table
Huanghuali wood, unidentified softwood, burlwood (huamu), laequer, clay, ramie
Height 79.8 cm Width 80 cm Depth 48.2 cm

A huanghuali rectangular table with a veneer of burlwood, probably of cedar Tables with this design of foot with the ball tucked into the inside of
(nanmu), laid on to three boards of softwood, probably pine, tongue and the horsehoof foot are extremely rare.
grooved into a mitred, mortice and tenon frame with a raised lip to the edge.
Beneath the panel are three dovetailed transverse strtetchers tenoned and A heavily restored example in the Honolulu Academy of Arts (HAA 5980.1)
pegged into the long rails of the frame and with considerable traces of lac- made of jichimu, hongmu and huali exhibits this same design of leg but
quer, clay and ramie to the underside. The square section legs are mitred with a facetted chuck beneath the foot.1
and tenoned into the waistless frame and apron and taper to a small horse-
hoof foot with an intregal ball to the inside. Elongated S-shaped braces Another example of a table with this same design of foot also with
are tenoned into the inside edge of the legs and pegged to the outer trans- chuck beneath was in the collection of the Museum of Classical Chinese
verse stretchers. Beneath the ball-shaped horsehoof foot is a plain foot Furniture.2
stretcher cut with flat bracket feet.
1 Ellsworth 1982, 53, pI. 28.
2 Wang, Evarts 1995, 93, pI. 42.
17th century

Three concepts, three different languages are combined in this small table
in an unassuming and self-evident manner:

The tabletop, the legs and the foot stretcher define the contours and the
proportions. Everything has an elegant finish: the almost invisible tapering
of the legs and the delicately shaped profiles to emphasize the edges.

The beauty of this “framework“ was to be enhanced and refined. In order

to achieve this the Chinese craftsmen of that period did not however
apply additional ornament and elaborate carving, but used a precious table-
top with burlwood veneer, the decorative patterns of its naturally twisted
grain creating an eloquent contrast to the manmade shapes.

The third element are the round section braces, which merely fulfill their
function in the shadow beneath the corners.

In conclusion: a carefully deliberated concept, the presence of nature as an

ornament and as a technical necessity.
An uninhibited and lively play.

If I were a thief and could carry away just one piece from this collection,
I would certainly steal this one.
37

Clothes rack
Huanghuali wood
Height 168 cm Width 121 cm Depth 36 cm

A huanghuali robe rack with two vertical circular section uprights tenoned
and lapped into the horizontal toprail which everts slightly at each end,
A simple horizontal, oval section rail joins these uprights almost at a third of
the height with a shaped spandrel of flattened oval section in each corner.
The uprights are through tenoned into the arched feet which are in turn
joined by a plain stretcher, convex on its outer faces but flat on top and bot-
tom. Another bracing stretcher of identical design is tenoned and lapped
into the posts above this and is drilled to receive the six posts for boots. To
each side of the uprights where they join the feet are openwork spandrels
tenoned into the sides of the posts and the top of the feet.

17th century

No other examples of this form of clothes or robe rack exist with the six
vertical posts presumably for the airing of boots or possibly shoes, although
the scale and separation of the posts would indicate their use for the former.
A woodblock illustration showing a clothes rack with lingzhi fungus ends to
the top rail and the same arrangment of vertical posts but with solid
spandrels and lingzhi shaped feet was published in the“ Record of Immor-
tal Beauty“ (Xian yuan ji shi) dating from the Wanli period (1573–1619).1
1 Wang 1986, 147, pl. 93.

Around eight clothes racks of this type are known from publications.
All of them are lavishly adorned and decorated.
This piece is not. And from all of them I would have liked to own only this
one.

The noble, sparing use of decorative elements is striking.

In this piece function, form and perfect craftsmanship are ideally combined.

Three more thoughts in regard to this piece of furniture:

“This luxury article is well made, simple and clear – its nakedness exposes
the quality of its workmanship.“ (Y. B.)

“The simplicity of form is not an invention of our present age, It has always
existed, it originates in the concentration on the essential.“ (W. M.)

Otto Wagner, Vienna, ca. 1900: “An object that is not functional can never
be beautiful.“
38

Basin stand
Huanghuali wood, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 89.8 cm Diameter 41 cm

A huanghuali six leg folding basin stand, the tops of the circular section legs
are carved with a waisted lotus design. Two of the legs are fixed, joined by
two straight horizontal stretchers which are through tenoned into the legs,
The other four legs are joined by short stretchers to a central disc to which
they are joined by a pivoting metal pin to enable it to fold flat for storage
purposes.

17th century

A basin stand from Wang Shixiang's own collection, now in the Shanghai
Museum to which he ascribes a Ming date, exhibits the same waisted
lotus finials.1 A miniature basin stand, now in the Shanghai Museum, from
the tomb of Pan Yunzheng, who died in 1589, is of the same construction
except that the uprights evert just below the basin support and at the foot.2
The possibility that this might be an indication of early dating is unfortu-
nately not bourne out by the red lacquer stand that appears in an album
leaf entitled “Beautiful Women“ by Jiao Bingzhen (active 1689 till after 1726)
from the National Palace Museum, Taipei.3
1 Wang 1986, 250, pI. 168, 1-3.
2 Berliner 1996, 152, pI. 30m.
3 Handler 2001, 338, fig. 20.8.

Certainly a form that was passed on through generations.

The naive construction and workmanship make this piece very charming.

Nowhere are social structures and their changes more evident than from
the design of such practical objects.
Their meaning and significance depend on the level of any given culture.
39

Six post canopy bed

Huanghuali wood, Tielimu wood, palm fiber
Height 205.6 cm Width 206.7 cm Depth 106.6 cm

A huanghuali six post canopy bed, the waistless, four-flush-sided base frame The bed exhibited here is extremely rare, and dare one say unique, in its
with rectangular section legs mitred and tenoned to the frame creating an form and construction. Of all the published beds, either six or four post,
unusual effect where the aprons to the side are 3.3 cm shallower than only one of them has a four-flush-sided base section, this being the internal
those to the front to accomodate the rectangular section of the legs. The bed section of the alcove bed in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in
aprons and legs are completely undecorated with the legs terminating in Kansas City.1
a flat horsehoof foot. Rebated into the frame is a removeable inner frame
drilled for soft seat construction and now fitted with old palm fibre web- The only other waistless example published is that from the Dr S.Y. Yip
bing with five tieli transverse stretchers beneath. The four corner posts are Collection which has a moulded frame above a flush sided apron and leg.2
concave to two sides and flat to the remaining two, the two inner posts More strikingly no other published examples or others that I have had
concave to one side, each of these tenon into the seat frame and into the a chance to examine are constructed without a canopy apron beneath the
canopy. Between each post are panels of mitred, mortice and tenon “wan“ horizontal canopy or tester. Nevertheless the height of this bed would
design contained with a square section frame curved at the upper corners indicate that such a structure has probably not been removed. At 205.6 cm
and finished on two sides with a concave face to the two front panels and it compares well with other examples; the Kansas City bed has an overall
to just one side of the side and back panels. Hump-back stretchers, flat height of 227 cm and a height without the dias and tester of 207 cm, the
to each face, are tenoned into the posts, the back stretcher being slightly Riddell-Tseng bed also with an angled “wan“ lattice design is 214.5 cm high.3
higher than the side and front stretchers necessitating the corner tenons The Palace Museum, Beijing six post bed with a horizontal “wan“ design
of these stretchers at the front to be made as half tenons as they overlap. is 231 cm high.4

Late 16th to early 17th century A miniature alcove canopy bed with a horizontal “wan“ design excavated
from the tomb of Pan Yunzheng5 who died in 1589 although of waisted
construction gives a benchmark by which to date the example here.
1 Ellsworth 1971, 141, pl. 32; Eeke 1974, 37-39, pl. 26; Wang 1990, 81, pI. 137.
2 Wu Bruee 1991, 129, pl. 51.
2 Evarts 1999,112.
2 Wang 1986, 188, pI. 126; Zhu 2002, 6, pI. 2.
2 Handler 2001,155, fig. 10.14.

What a wonderful sight!

When the photographs for this catalogue were taken, I suddenly realized:
because of its lightness and transparency this bed appears in a large space
like a wonderful sculpture.

How many happy and also sad moments or periods of time may this bed
have given people?
Today it is in my collection; I cannot sleep in it, but I can look at it, admire it
and reflect on it.
40, 41

Pair of lacquered trunks

Unidentified softwood, probably northern elm (jumul, red and black lacquer, cloth, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 45 cm Width 87.5 cm Depth 41.5 cm

A pair of jumu trunks with slightly domed hinged tops with vertical sides These trunks were probably made in China for export to Tibet for the storage
which overlap the sides of the lower section. Each corner appears to be of sutras. The change of design by introducing low feet to the plinth base
constructed with a mitred joint and open dovetails under the lacquer. The at variance to those produced for the domestic market is probably to allow
sides of the lower section rebate into a plinth base with six feet and two a free flow of air to stop the sutras from getting damp..
transverse stretchers supporting the base of the trunk. The foliate shaped
1 Translation Dr Hu-von Hinuber, Heidi Naumann.
strap hinges to the back were retained by split pins, now replaced with
screws. All the other brass fittings are retained by split pins. The exterior of
the trunks is covered with an orange-red lacquer, the interior black.

There are inscriptions in Tibetan and Chinese to both the domed covers
and the interior surface of the cover. The Tibetan inscription on one of the
trunks can be translated: “in accordance with the secret religious instruc-
tions“ and is followed by a six character Chinese inscription: “2nd chapter
of the Tantric SCltra“ which is specified on the domed cover: “Part 2,
chapter 2 “. The other trunk bears the following Tibetan inscription: “The root
of virtue lies in grasping the Mahayana SCltras“ and is accompanied by an
eight character Chinese inscription: “1st chapter of the Great, Holy Sûtra
on virtuous thinking and good deeds“ and is further specified on the outer
surface of the cover with the “religious reference number 64“.1

18th century

It happened about ten years ago in Maastricht.

I saw this pair of trunks in the booth of a friend of mine and fell in love
with their wonderful orange-red colour immediately. Its vibration and the
translucent quality of the black lacquer impressed me and truly gave me
vital energy.
Just the colour!

Does it make sense to always stick to sacred rules and intellectual plans
when collecting?
Where is the human side - if you like: the human weakness - and the
simple joy in an object that is perhaps “merely“ beautiful?
42

Screen
Huanghuali wood, Dalishi marble
Height 51.3 cm Width 46.3 cm Depth 22.2 cm

The Dalishi marble panel cut and polished to give an abstract representa-
tion of mountains and rivers on both sides contained within a removeable
mitred, mortice and tenon frame of wide flat section which slots into the
stand. The base is constructed with a rectangular horizontal rail mitred,
mortice and tenoned into rectangular uprights which are, in turn, mortice
and tenoned into the arched feet. To either side of these uprights are
plain shaped spandrels with a deep curvilinear apron between the feet.

17th century

A smaller screen of the same construction, where the panel frame is cut to
fit the square section uprights, is illustrated by Wu Bruce.1
1 Wu Bruce 1998, 156, pl. 49.

For years this aesthetic object

has been standing in front of me in my office

The two stone “landscapes“ arouse my attention again and again.

There is nothing concrete in these pictures, therefore my eyes do not
dwell on anything, but are drawn into wide, abstract spaces.
Ever new and unreal worlds unfold.
43

Mirror stand
Zitan wood, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 29.2 cm (open) Width/Depth 34.7 cm

A zitan folding mirror stand with a mitred frame base shaped at the front Many mirror stands appear in paintings and wood-block prints from the
lower edge and re-inforced with surface mounted yellow brass brackets to late Ming through the Qing periods although relatively few have survived
each corner which are now encrusted to the point of making their identi- in zitan. An example from the Dr S.Y. Yip collection1 is similar in form and
fcation difficult. There are two flat transverse stretchers tenoned into the construction except that the members of the lattice support are convex
sides of the frame to give added rigidity to the base structure. A square rather than concave and the top rail has dragonhead terminals, like many of
frame is dowel-pinned into the inside edge of this frame to pivot forward the known clothes racks. The example here is lacking its removeable
with a similarly constructed back-rest to support it. The frame is divided lotus – shaped support on which the mirror would rest, present in the Yip
into a lattice design with each front face of the lattice cut with a concave example.
moulding and finished at the edge with a cut line in order that the design
1 Wu Bruce 1998, 188, pI. 66.
flows together.

18th century

This sort of an object is what one likes,

This sort of an object is what one loves!

Between my personal remarks, I would like to add again, what I consider

important and not important in collecting, owning and describing these
objects.
Not the time and place of their origin, and not their function are essential.
What is most important to me is their aura, the effect they have on me and
my relationship and feeling towards them.
What are the structural features here?
How are they applied?
Is the result convincing or not?
What do they tell me if I compare them with contemporary design?
I want to look at them from different, also unorthodox angles and try to
explain how I relate to them, why I make efforts to own and collect them,
and why I get so much pleasure from them.
Where does this joy and this aesthetic satisfaction come from, why this
feeling of happiness that always fills me whenever I look at them?
Ultimately, this pleasure or even “lust“ is essential in collecting.
44

Stationery tray
Hongmu wood, pine, spotted bamboo
Height 5.1 cm Width/Depth 34.7 cm

A hongmu stationery tray with two hidden drawers. The vertical outer face
is carved with a design of horizontal concave moulding interspersed with a
veneer of spotted bamboo on all four faces which continues on the top
edge of the lip of the tray. The two hidden “pull-less“ drawers are activated
by a pivoting arm; as one drawer is pushed inwards the other drawer is
pushed outwards.

18th century

A tray of similar decoration and design but with three drawers, dated to
the late Oing period, is illustrated by Tian1, who includes a diagram of the
construction that demonstrates how the pivot arm works. A hongmu and
huamu tray with two drawers from the Mr and Mrs Robert Piccus collection,
later in the collection of Kai Yin Lo, is ascribed an 18th/19th century date.2
Another tray with incised decoration of narcissus and a poem, signed by
Zhou Oizhang and dated 1889 is illustrated by Evarts.3
1 Tian 1996, 268, pl. 127.
2 Yungmingtang 1998, 170, pI. 37.
3 Evarts 2000, 216, pl. 84.
45

Large shallow box

Huanghuali wood, yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 8.5 cm Width 56.3 Depth 42.2 cm

A huanghuali hinged box and cover probably for the storage of an album
of paintings. The single board top is overlapped with a gently shaped
moulded edge and tongue and grooved into the inside edge of the sides of
the cover and hollowed out in the centre. The lower section constructed
in the same manner as the cover with hidden dovetailed mitred joints has a
recessed base, also in huanghuali and also hollowed out in the centre on
the lower face. The surface mounted yellow brass square hinges and lock-
plate with its rectangular hasp are retained by split pins with square wash-
ers to the interior. Both the upper and lower vertical sides are rebated to
inter-lock with each other.

17th to 18th century

A box of very similar proportions and construction from the collection of

Robert and Alice Piccus is illustrated and discussed by Curtis Evarts.1
The same box was exhibited at the National Museum of History, Taipei in
1999 from the collection of Chen Chite.2
1 Evarts 1992, 5, fig. 1.
2 Evarts 1999, 179.

A masterly understanding of what is essential and what is not essential.

46

Sedan chair box

Huanghuali wood, yellow brass
Height 16.2 cm Width 68.9 cm Depth 19 cm

A huanghuali document box with the upper section overhanging at each

end. The rectangular top panel is butt jointed to the vertical sides with
two transverse stretchers beneath. Both the top and lower sections are
mitred and hidden dovetailed at the corners. Unusually the surfaces are left
unadorned with no raised beaded edges or applied metalwork corners.
The hinges and lockplate are equally undecorated with a large inlaid square
lockplate and plain rectangular inlaid hinges which have butts that only
allow a movement of 90 degrees. The interior has a removable rectangular
tray in huanghuali and two hinged compartments to each side. The inset
base is also of huanghuali.

17th century

A similar “sedan chair document box“ and its use is discussed by Jacobsen
and Grindley.1

In his article entitled “The Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture in

California“ Wang Shixiang, in his discussion of a sedan chair box, cites a
handscroll entitled “Spring Festival on the River“ (Qingming shang he tu)
by Chen Mei2, dated 1736, now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, in
which an official is seen approaching his sedan chair where his attendant
is shown holding the box waiting for him to enter the chair so he can place
it across the litter poles. This detail is illustrated by Grace Wu Bruce in a
later article.3
1 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 299, pl. 74.
2 Wang 1993, 54, no. 10.
3 Wu Bruce 1993, 58, fig. 4.
47

Scroll box
Huanghuali wood, with traces of lining paper
Height 7.5 cm Width 45.3 cm Depth 9.8 cm

A huanghuali scroll box of rectangular shape and well figured grain, mitred Xu Daoning (ca. 970-1051/52) was a renowned landscape painter of the
and hidden dovetailed at the corners, the base tongue and grooved into the Song dynasty. Jiao Lin was the hao or art name used by three notable
inside edges of the sides. The cover runs on a sliding groove cut into the literati, Zhu Heng and Liang Oingpiao of the late Ming to early Oing dynas-
inside edge of the sides and is fitted with a square mitred end to conform ties, and Yu Shilong of the Oing dynasty. Liang Oingplao was a collector
to the base. of books and paintings.

The sliding top bears an incised inscription “Song [dynasty] Xu Daoning: A similar scroll box but of a later style of construction with a thinner sliding
Desolate Temple in the Autumn Mountains, appraised by Jiao Lin“. cover which grooves into the sides and laps over the top of the box, which
also bears an inscription for a Song painting, in this case by Liu Songnian,
17th to 18th century is in the collection of Philippe de Backer.1
1 Wu Bruce 2000, 200, pl. 64.

48

Scroll box
Huanghuali wood yellow brass (huangtong)
Height 9.5 cm Width 56.5 cm Depth 10.2 cm

A huanghuali scroll box of rectangular shape and beautifully figured grain,

mitred and dovetailed at the corners, the base tongue and grooved into
the inside edges of the sides. The cover runs in a sliding groove cut into
the inside edge of the sides and is fitted with a moulded edge to conform
to the base. Each corner is mounted with an inlaid cloud scroll spandrel,
in yellow brass, divided in the case of the sliding top. There is a sliding lock
to one end with a small padlock and key.

17th to 18th century

49

Document box
Burlwood (huamu), bamboo, white brass (baitong)
Height 14 cm Width 39.4cm Depth 21 cm

A burlwood rectangular document box with a concave moulding to the

top edge is of mitred and hidden dovetailed construction with a huamu
base tongue and grooved into the inside edge of the lower section. The
lower edge of the upper section and the upper edge of the lower section
are trimmed with bamboo. The surface mounted white brass rectangular
hinges, lockplate and corner strips are offset by the cloud shaped hasp and
the C-curved handles with foliate backplates and striking boss, all retained
by split pins.

17th century

Because of the lack of stability of the burlwood, it has no obvious long

or end grain, the edges of the cover and base have been finished with
bamboo to stop the area of chipping and breakage.
50

Document box
Huanghuali wood veneer, unidentified softwood, yellow brass (huangtong), eopper (hongtong)
Height 10.8 cm Width 37.2 cm Depth 20 cm

A huanghuali rectangular box and hinged cover, veneered in beautifully

chosen huanghuali with surface mounted yellow brass edges mitred at
each corner with shaped spandrels to the top inlaid with copper cash motifs
(see drawing). The large rectangular lockplate to the front with a plain
vertical rectangular hasp with square bosses the upper inlaid at each end
with a cash motif. The reverse with similarly shaped hinges with square
section knuckles also inlaid at each end with cash motifs. Each end is
mounted with flat section bail handles with four petal floral back plates and
striking plate. The interior also mounted with brass edges has a raised
inward sloping lip and is finished in crackled cream lacquer.

18th century

Although there are many boxes of these proportions, the quality of the
veneered surfaces and especially the inlaid brass mounts is of a refinement
only occasionally found on the best case furniture.
51

Table stand
Huanghuali wood, russet marble, unidentified softwood, lacquer
Height 9 cm Width 28.8 cm Depth 24.3 cm

A huanghuali low rectangular stand with a typical mitred, mortice and

tenon frame top with a flush floating panel of a thin slither of russet veined
marble with grey inclusions supported on a two board lacquered softwood
panel. The outer edge of the frame top with a concave moulding with a
square shoulder below. The concave apron, made in one piece with the
recessed concave waist is mitred and half-lapped into the square section
legs which are, in turn, mitred and half-lapped into the foot stretcher. A
deep moulding, curved on its inside edge, finishes the concave mouldings
of the legs, aprons and stretchers giving them an elongated rounded
appearance. The legs project beneath the stretchers to elevate the stand
slightly from the table.

18th century

A similar but smaller stand, which Robert Jacobsen argues is for an

incense burner on a scholar's desk, is in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.1
This stand exhibits the same type of carving to the aprons, legs and foot-
stretchers which deceives the eye into thinking that the form is different to
the construction.
1 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 218, pI. 84.

In my opinion there cannot be any doubt that the surface was meant to
resist heat (and therefore was made from marble) and that it had to be
elevated from the ground to allow for air circulation; probably it served
as a stand for incense burners made from metal.

Because of this function, a stand was created of perfect workmanship.

Its shape is derived from the world of larger sized furniture.

A congenial object.
52

Stand
Tigerwood (longyenmu)
Height 7 cm Width 35.4 cm Depth 16.8 cm

A rectangular stand with a flat top cut from the solid and mitred and
hidden dovetailed to the vertical sides which are, in turn, mitred and hidden
dovetailed to the foot which has a vertical return cut from one piece.

18th to 19th century

53

Scroll stand
Hongmu wood
Height 9 cm Width 53 cm Depth 30 cm

A hongmu low table or stand cut from one piece of wood with scrolled ends
in the form of an inverted half unrolled hand scroll.

18th to 19th century

A number of these scroll stands are published and in general they are of
similar proportions to the example shown here.1 An unusually large example
(13.8 cm x 82.2 cm x 45.3 cm) is in the collection of Dr S.Y. Yip.2
1 Ellsworth 1971,236, pl. 155; Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 220, pI. 85.
2 Wu Bruee 1991, 158, pl. 66.
54, 55

Pair of display stands

Zitan wood
Height 14.8 cm Width 24.8 cm Depth 16.5 cm

A pair of zitan display stands of cuboid shape each, face of two boards,
presumably tongue and grooved together and hidden dovetail jointed at the
mitred corners, the front and back faces cut with a strong concave mould-
ing. Each end is pierced with serpentine shaped opening with re-entrant
corners bordered by an incised line. The interior is divided by a vertical panel
similarly constructed and with a pierced serpentine opening, this time
without the incised line, and terminating in a downward curled bracket.
To one side of this is a raised shelf with geometric designs to each end
These stands, of identical design when viewed from one side, can be
stacked or arranged side by side in either reversed or repeated format.

18th century

A more elaborate, much larger, display cabinet with intricately carved

stylised dragons and lacquered surface to the shelves and ascribed a
Yongzheng-Oianlong date is in the Oing Court Collection in the Palace
Museum.1

Smaller stands of more comparable proportions but later in date are in the
Liang Yi Collection.2
1 Zhu 2002, 256, pl. 218.
2 Evarts 2000, 220, pl. 87f.

These display stands are comparable to numbers 4 and 5 in this collection.

Their main purpose is to provide a plain, unpretentious frame for the display
of valuable, impressive, colourful objects and to show them in the most
flattering light, no matter whether the stands are stacked on top of each
other or arranged side by side.

This pair of display stands ranks on a high level of formal quality.

An exacting aesthetic play.
56

Scrollpot
Huanghuali wood
Height 23 cm Diameter 26.3 cm

A huanghuali scrollpot of very large proportions with a thick wall (2.5 cm)
and wide foot with inset central plug with an overall feathery grain.

17th to 18th century

Scrollpots, large versions of the more common brush pots, were used on
the desktop for the storage of handscrolls, scroll weights, rulers, horsehair
dusters, peacock feathers and ruyi sceptres as well as brushes.

There are many types and forms of pots in China. They were made from
the tree trunks of adequate types of wood and served various functions.
All of them were first turned; after this their form remained either unaltered,
was carved (see no. 59, 60) or adorned with other materials.

For centuries they have been revered and collected. Here I present those
examples, which impressed me because of their exciting shape or their
special wood and which I was able to chose from a large number of pieces
within a relatively short period of time.

The dating of these simple pots is very problematic. There are only very
few points of reference:
The use of types of wood that have not been available in more recent times,
the patina, the few stylistic elements and – by far the safest criterion –
the refinement of their workmanship and the perfection of their form, which
were only prevalent in earlier periods.
57

Scrollpot
Zitan wood
Height 20 cm Diameter 25 cm

A zitan scrollpot of large proportions with a slightly rounded lip and distinct
waist to the body with a wide foot and central plug.

18th century

Wen Zhenheng in his “Treatise on Superfluous Things“ (Zheng wu zhi),

dated by Craig Clunas to about 1615–201, pronounces “zitan, wumu and
huali [brushpots] are also acceptable, but avoid the eight sides ones of
foliated style“ (compare no. 60).2
1 Clunas 1991.
2 Evarts 2000, 38.
58

Brushpot
Burlwood (huamu)
Height 15.2 cm Diameter 12.8 cm

A burlwood bryshpot with a slightly rounded lip and gently waisted body
with a strong pattern of dense knots, the flat base with an inset plug.

17th to 18th century

A larger, more tightly, grained burlwood brushpot is in the colletcion of

the Minneapolis Institute of Arts1 and gives a good indication of how tight
the knots can be patterned together.
1 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 238, pI. 94.

On some of these Chinese brush pots the turner changed the profile just
very slightly.
This refined, waisted shape has an astonishing effect.
Only a few millimeters (see drawing) are sufficient to give the object a
completely different quality.

Almost all of these brush pots have an inset base. In order to make them,
the turner used a round tree trunk or a strong branch; he removed the core
of the wood and, in some cases, the base as well. In this manner he was
able to take the tension out of the fresh wood and prevent the object from
cracking.
59

Foliate brushpot
Huanghuali wood
Height 15.7 cm Diameter 15 cm

A huanghuali foliate brushpot of slightly flared shape with a flat moulded

lip, the sides cut with a deep moulding tapering to a separately made base
in the form of a stylised lotus leaf supported on three bracket feet with
a recessed base with incised scrolling foliate design with a central slightly
raised plug.

18th century

A huanghuali brushpot of similar design but taller proportions is in the

Liang Yi Collection.1 Very similar examples are in the collections of the
Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen and the Museum of East Asian Art,
Cologne.
1 Evarts 2000, 236, pl. 99.
60

Blossom shaped brushpot

Huanghuali wood
Height 16.1 cm Diameter 15.3 cm

A huanghuali brushpot of orchid or lotus leaf shape, formed as eight leaves,

four inner and four outer, the latter carved with a plain raised edge, each
leaf differently, as if the leaf were folding back on itself with a central verti-
cal ridge. Cut from the solid are four small shaped bracket feet, somewhat
like a lingzhi fungus.

17th to 18th century

To date a comparable brushpot has not been published.

The floral motif sparingly encroaches upon a most simple form and
unquestionably enhances it.

Two hundred years later the same path was pursued by the artists of the
European Secession.
61

Small brushpot
Huanghuali wood
Height 11.4 cm Diameter 8.2 cm

A huanghuali small brush pot of slightly waisted tall cylindrical form with a
plain flat lip and well figured grain to the body raised on three small bracket
feet finished with a raised beaded edge with an inset base.

18th century

From at least as early as the Southern Song period (1127-1279) brushes

were kept in brush racks or stands keeping the brush tip from contact
with anything else and thus from harm. This system of storage appears to
have gone out of fashion by the 16th century although a zitan and dalishi
table screen with intregal brush rack was excavated from the Wanli period
(1573–1620) tomb of Zhu Shoucheng.1 By the late Ming period brushpots
appear to have surplanted the brush racks despite an attempt by Gao Lian
in his“ Eight Discourses on the Art of Living“ (Zunsheng bajian) to revive
the earlier tradition.2

A much larger but otherwise identical brushpot is in the Museum of East

Asian Art Cologne.

1 Li, Watt 1987, 125, pI. 69H..

2 Evarts 2000, 37 f.

By contrast to the object number 60 the viewer should be aware that

completely different elements of design were chosen.

A comparable basic shape was refined here through only a few measures:
the raised beaded edge along the bottom, the elevation of the pot by three
tiny feet, the slight waist to the body and the choice of a most beautifully
grained wood.
One can sense a refined creativity.

In front of us is a small object of timeless quality and of very high aesthetic

standard.
62

Oval brushpot
Zitan wood
Height 14.1 cm Width 14.1 cm Depth 4.3 cm

A zitan brushpot of very unusual flattened oval or eliptical shape with curved
ends and straight sides, the flat rim with a raised beaded edge to the
outside, the foot with a similar bead which follows the four intregal small
bracket feet. These feet and the flat base are all carved from the solid.

18th century

To date a comparable brushpot has not been published.

63,64

Pair of incense tool vases

Zitan wood
Height 11.1 cm Diameter 4.2 cm

A pair of zitan incense tool vases of hexagonal shape carved to simulate An illustration of an incense tool vase with the tools in place (a long handled
overlapping sections or petals almost like folded paper radiating from the spade and a pair of chopsticks) is found in a wood block illustration to the
lipped neck with a hole to receive the small spade and chopsticks. “Sanguo huaxiang“ of the Guangxu period (1881).2
1 Tsang, Moss 1986, 242, pl. 234.
19th to 20th century 2 Evarts 2000, 218, pI. 85

In an exhibition of the “Arts from the Scholar's Studio“ held in Hong Kong
the authors discuss a foliate shaped example where they say they believe
that these were made for incense tools.1 The weight of the zitan makes
this a particularly appropriate material to counter-balance the top-heaviness
of the incense tools.
65

Brushpot
Zitan wood
Height 16.3 cm Diameter 12.3 cm

A zitan brushpot of rich dense black cut from what appears to be a com-
pletely natural, unworked big branch of a tree. The thick walls terminate in
a narrow opening and taper down to a base with a wide foot and recessed
base.

17th to 18th century

Robert Jacobsen, in an entry on a scrollpot carved in a naturalistic style,

says “Founded on Daoist principles, the evocation of nature be it through
contorted garden rocks, rootwood furnishings or naturally sculpted objects
like this, was an important expression of a refined scholarly aesthetic and
humble attitude“.1
1 Jacobsen, Grindley 1999, 230, pI. 90.

The precious piece of wood lays in our hands, as if it were alive with its
fragrance and its naturally grown shape.
A Chinese man wanted a pot: He removed the branches, polished the
surfaces, hollowed it out, thereby giving nature the form and function he
wanted.
I admire this act.

Strict and critical friends of mine have wondered why I collected this
surrealist object of “doubtful taste and appearance“, while my heart
favours and admires objects of a totally different spirit, as reflected in this
catalogue.
In their view the playful, perhaps artificial form which – most importantly–
was not solely created by the human intellect, cannot stand up to the
austere, superior and technically based PURE FORM as represented by the
other objects in my collection.
My answer to this is to explain my open and receptive attitude by referring
to the infinite variety in human nature. Life is a combination and sequence
of sad and serious, happy and high-spirited moments. The person who has
not experienced, suffered or enjoyed all of these – has he really lived?
66

Ruyi sceptre
Jiajingmu wood
Height 50.2 cm

A jiajingmu ruyi sceptre of richly patinated dark brown colour with a

stylised lingzhi fungus joined to the undulating stem which tapers to the
neck, rounded at the back and terminating in a chamfered end.

Early 19th century

For a discussion of jiajingmu and the areas in which it is found see John
Kwang-ming Ang1. The origin of the ruyi sceptre is obscure although most
of the later representations take this form of lingzhi fungus.
A sceptre-like object, held in the hand, is seen frequently from the earliest
period in China and gradually develops into the ruyi form, According to
the Encyclopedia Sinica the 13th century writer Zhao Xigu believed that
they were originally made of iron and used to point the way and for self
defence.2 Over time the ruyi sceptre became associated with the lingzhi
fungus and its Daoist longevity symbolism, thus making it an ideal gift,
especially for birthdays, but also as a token of the wish “what one wants“
(ru yi). A ruyi might be carried around as an elegant and auspicious play-
thing giving a symbol of authority to its owner, who, if he were Confucian,
would imply that he held a certain place in the hierarchy of things and
thus be a symbol of authority, while, if he were Daoist, it would represent
detachment from mundane affairs.
1 Ang 2002, 53-65.
2 Moss 1986, 272, no. 2,70.

This and the following sceptre are not pieces of furniture.

They are made from wood, however, and fulfilled their function, being
used by their owners in the exact same rooms that were furnished with
big armchairs, tables and cabinets.

The softness of their lines, their gentle surface, their unostentatious

appearance and the refinement of their design give a sense of the sensitivity
and cultivation of their owners.

Both sceptres are essentially different in their character and appearance.

The one seems to be more masculine, the other rather feminine.
If I had to chose, I would find it difficult to decide between them.
And you?
67

Sceptre
Boxwood (huangyangmu)
Length 32 cm

A boxwood sceptre carved in the form of a reed, its head curled over on
itself, the S-shaped stem tapering down to a twisted knob of the stem at
the bottom.

China or Japan, 19th century

What was this extravagance intended for? What wishes, expectations,

hopes and memories are connected with this object?
Did the depth of these emotions correspond to the costliness of the
material, the outstanding skill of the carver, to his sculptural interpretation
somewhere between nature and subtle geometric form, his artistic
striving for an object that is “beautiful from all sides“?
Or was it rather a matter of displaying power and wealth, or was it a magical
object or an object expressing poetic refinement?

Such questions arise.

It is no accident, therefore, that this extravagant sceptre is the final piece

in this collection.
Bibliography

Ang 2002 – Ang, John Kwang-ming: “Zhajing Wood Furniture: Further Evarts 1992 – Evarts, Curtis: “Simplicity and Integrity: The Anatomy of a
Studies in Chinese Furniture of Alternative Woods“. Arts of Asia. Vol. 32, Masterpiece“. JCCFS. Vol. 2, no. 3 (Summer 1992), 4-12.
no.1 (Jan./Febr. 2002). 53–65.
Evarts 1992 (1) – Evarts, Curtis: “Classical Chinese Furniture in the Piccus
Berliner 1996 – Berliner, Nancy: Chinese Furniture of the 16th and 17th Collection“.. JCCFS. Vol. 2, no. 4 (Autumn 1992),4-25.
Centuries. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Boston, 1996.
Evarts 1995 – see Wang, Evarts 1995.
China Style 2002 – Leece, Sharon, Michael Freeman: China Style.
Hong Kong, 2002. Evarts 1999 – Evarts, Curtis, Pauline Kao, Tian Jiaqing and Lina Lin:
Splendor of Style: Classical Chinese Furniture from the Ming and
Christie’s 1996 – Important Chinese Furniture. Auction catalogue. Ding Dynasties. National Museum of History, Taipei, 1999.
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Authors Nicholas Grindley
was born in England in 1951. For over 25 years now he has been dealing in
and researching Chinese art, with particular interest in furniture and works
of art. During most of this time he has conducted his business as a private
dealer although, since 1998, he has held two exhibitions a year, in London
and in New York. Many works from these exhibitions and his other dealing
activities are in museum and private collections throughout the world.
In 1996 he contributed to the catalogue of the Mimi and Raymond Hung
Collection of Chinese Furniture and in 1999 he co-wrote, with Robert
Jacobsen, the catalogue of Classical Chinese Furniture from the Minneapolis
Institute of Arts. He continues to deal privately in Chinese art in London
and New York.

Prof Dr Florian Hufnagl

was born in 1948. He studied art history, classical archaeology and history
at the Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, where he received his
Ph. D. in 1976. During the following years he worked at the Bayerisches
Landesamt fur Denkmalpflege. In 1980 he took up work at the museum
Neue Sammlung (New Collection), simultaneously teaching 19th and
20th century art at the Institute of Art History at the Ludwig-Maximilians
University in Munich. He has been director of the Neue Sammlung, State
Museum of Applied Arts, Munich, since 1990 and has also been acting as a
member on the board of trustees of the Danner Foundation. In addition,
in 1997 he began teaching at the Art Academy, Munich, and since 1998
presides over the Directorial Board of the Bavarian State Museums and
Collections.

Dr Arch. Ignazio Vok

was born in 1938 in Lubljana, Slovenia. He studied architecture in Munich
and Venice. He is married to the architect Ines Hodnik and has two chil-
dren. He lives in Italy and Austria. He has been interested in traditional and
modern art since his days at university, later especially in the cultures of
the Far East and the Islamic world. His collection of Chinese ceramics and
porcelain was displayed in the Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, and
in the Rietberg Museum, Zurich in 1983/84. In 1974 he started to collect
Central Asian Suzani embroideries, flatweaves from the Caucasus and
from Persia, later also kilim from Anatolia. All of these parts of his collection
have been published in scholarly catalogues. In addition, he began to take
an interest in traditional and modern European and Far Eastern applied art.
In 1989 he acquired his first piece of Chinese furniture in Milan: the table
no. 32, after which he began to build his collection of Chinese furniture.
Vok
Collection