A Pair of Huanghuali Low-Back Armchairs, Meiguiyi Late

Ming / Early Qing Dynasty
Rose Chair
Cocobolo (Huanghuali), Copper

• The chair boasts a rectangular top rail, enriched with a variety of mouldings, and is joined to the stiles through precise mitred, mortise, and tenon joints. These stiles extend downward to form the back legs, while the arms are similarly joined to the stiles and posts, which continue through the seat to become the front legs.
• An arch-shaped apron with a beaded edge graces the chair back, seamlessly tongued-and-grooved into the top rail and stiles, and anchored to a horizontal stretcher supported by vertical, pillar-like struts. Angular scrollwork enhances the surface, echoed in the similarly curved aprons, stretchers, and vertical supports beneath the armrests. Mouldings on the posts, stiles, armrests, and horizontal stretchers harmonize with the top rail's design.
• The seat frame employs a standard mitre, mortise, and tenon approach, supported by two gracefully curved transverse stretchers below. Its edged moulding mirrors that of the posts and stiles, with exposed tenons on the shorter sides. Cusped aprons are skillfully tongued-and-grooved to the legs and neatly butt-joined to the seat frame's underside.
• The front apron features elaborate carvings of intertwining tendrils, while the side aprons present a simple beaded edge. The back apron maintains a plain, stately appearance. A contoured footrest bridges the front legs, sitting above a plainly shaped apron, all tied together with moulded stretchers flaunting exposed tenons. The side stretchers are underscored by plain aprons, and the feet are capped with durable metal mounts.

Reference and image source: Sotheby's Hong Kong Limited