Rare Hongmu Comb-Back Armchairs, Hand-Carved, Late Qing Dynasty, Asia
Very elegant pair of late hongmu comb-back armchairs, Late Qing Dynasty Each chair of elegant form with arched humpback top -rail supported on round posts extending to the back legs flanking eight spindles, with a matching series of five spindles on either side bracing the rectangular arms. All supported on square legs the feet joined by stretchers and shaped foot-rail with narrow apron. could be great in any decoration style, even minimalist or traditional. Could be interesting in an entrance hall on each side of a console table for instance. According to The Studies of Ming Furniture by Wang Shi-Xiang (1914-2009), this design was called "meiguiyi (rose chair)" in the north, "wenyi (scholar's chair)" in Jiang Zhe areas, and "xiaojieyi (ladies' chair)" suggesting a feminine taste. The chair is called "meigui (rose)" as the word was a description for a beautiful jade in the past. Such saying was used by Sima Xiang-Ru (B.C. 179-117), in Western Han Dynasty, also by Yan Shi-Gu of Tang Dynasty. Hence, this word was adopted to describe an exquisite design that is comparable to a translucent jade. It was also said that the small size of the chair was called as "guiziyi (ghost chair)". As the "gui" in rose and ghost shared the same character, it became rose chair when the chair was introduced to the North. This armchair is designed with a low back and low arm. The saddle seat is upright, echoing with the Song style - a low back that reached almost half of the ordinary chairs. Huanghuali and Hongmu are common material for the simplistic design. These low-back armchairs were common in the Ming Dynasty as its low design does not affect the window panes and its sleek design match perfectly with any medium, including the modern glass design.