17TH CENTURY

The present pair of yokeback armchairs is exceptionally rare, belonging to a unique group of few extant examples of this special form. Unlike typical sichutou guanmaoyi, which feature crests and arms that project outward, or southern official’s armchairs, nanguanmaoyi, with crests and arms that are continuous, the current pair combines protruding crestrail and continuous arms.
A bamboo chair of this particular form is illustrated in the Ming dynasty encyclopedia, Sancai tuhui, as one of three types of non-folding chairs(fig.1).

The continuous arms in the context of a protruding crestrail are unusual, although similar examples are known. See a slightly smaller pair, formerly from the Robert Ellsworth collection, sold at Christie’s New York, The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part II – Chinese Furniture, Scholar’s Objects and Chinese Paintings, 18 March 2015, lot 106 (fig.2).

This item is made of a type of Dalbergia wood which is subject to CITES export/import restrictions since 2 January 2017. This item can only be shipped to addresses within Hong Kong or collected from our Hong Kong saleroom and office unless a CITES re-export permit is granted. Please contact the department for further information.