A collection of chinese furniture, 17th/18th/19th century

A finely carved zitan southern official's hat armchair, nanguanmaoyi. 18th/19th century

With stepped top rail supported on rear posts of square section, framing the vase-shaped splat flanked by two carved scrolls and finely carved with a winged monster mask suspending an endless knot and two fish joined by a pendent tassel, the two-panel seat set within a wide rectangular frame above a shaped apron carved with ruyi-head scrolls and archaistic elements, the legs of square section joined by stepped stretchers and a footrest. 42 7/8 in. (108.9 cm.) high, 23 7/16 in. (59.5 cm.) wide, 17 15/16 in. (45.6 cm.) deep - Est. $60,000 - $80,000

Provenance: Acquired by the grandfather of the present owners, Whampoa, Guangdong, circa 1890-1920s, thence by descent within the family.

Notes : An identical, although slightly smaller (99.5 cm.) zitan armchair is in the Liang Yi collection, illustrated by C. Evarts, Liang Yi Collection: Zitan, Hong Kong, 2007, p. 51, no. 11. Also compare the design of twin fish suspended from a knot and ring held in the mouth of a bat, seen on the splat of a Qing dynasty zitan chair in the collection of the National Palace Museum, illustrated in Ming Qing Guting Jiaju Da Guan, vol. II, Beijing, 2006, p. 467, fig. 566.

A rare pair of large zitan armchairs. 18th/19th century

Each of massive proportions and solidly constructed with elaborately carved openwork splats in the form of elongated, formalized and archaistic kui dragons or fenghuang, the design repeated on each side below the arm rests, the shaped aprons carved with archaistic scroll above beaded legs of square section joined by humpback stretchers raised on four short tabs. 42¾ in. (108.6 cm.) high, 29 in. (73.7 cm.) wide, 24¾ in. (62.9 cm.) deep (2) - Est. $60,000 - $80,000

Provenance: Acquired by the grandfather of the present owners, Whampoa, Guangdong, circa 1890-1920s, thence by descent within the family.

Notes: Compare two very similar, though smaller pairs of zitan armchairs, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3 December 2008, lots 2269 and 2270.

A zitan veneer, hardwood and jichimu three-railing bed, luohanchuang. 19th century

The frame carved with upward and downward lotus lappets on either side of the narrow waist carved with archaistic scroll, above shaped aprons carved with interlocked leafy and archaistic scrolls continuing onto the thick legs of square section, the jichimu side and back panels deeply carved with scenes of scholars and attendants and landscapes enclosed by hardwood frames incised with a continuous border of key fret. 41 1/8 in. (104.5 cm.) high, 75 3/8 in. (191.5 cm.) wide, 50½ in. (128.3 cm.) deep - Est. $50,000 - $70,000

Provenance: Acquired in Beijing between 1911-29, and thence by descent within the family to the present owner.

A finely carved zitan side table, banzhuo. 18th century

The three-panel top set into the wide rectangular frame, above a narrow waist carved with a rope-twist design, the shaped aprons and spandrels elegantly carved in the Rococo manner with leafy floral scroll, all supported on thick, beaded legs of square section terminating in scroll-form hoof feet. 35 5/8 in. (90.5 cm.) high, 48½ in. (123.2 cm.) wide, 22 5/16 in. (56.7 cm.) deep - Est. $50,000 - $70,000

Provenance: Acquired by the grandfather of the present owners, Whampoa, Guangdong, circa 1890-1920s, thence by descent within the family.

Notes: Compare a zitan corner-leg table of comparable size, dated to the mid-Qing dynasty, carved in a similar, though slightly more elaborate fashion, in the collection of the Beijing National Palace Museum, illustrated in Ming Qing Guting Jiaju Da Guan, vol. I, Beijing, 2006, p. 197, no. 211.

A pair of zitan square waisted corner-leg stools, fangdeng. 19th century

Each with three-panel top set within the square frame, above a plain, narrow waist and shaped aprons and spandrels carved with archaistic scroll, the legs of square section terminating in scroll-form hoof feet. 20¼ in. (51.4 cm.) high, 24 7/8 in. (63.2 cm.) wide, 24¾ in. (62.9 cm.) deep (2) - Est. $30,000 - $50,000

Provenance: Acquired by the grandfather of the present owners, Whampoa, Guangdong, circa 1890-1920s, thence by descent within the family.

A rare zitan tea table, fangchaji. 18th century

The single-plank top enclosed within the wide rectangular frame with beaded 'ice-plate' edge, above a narrow waist supported on plain beaded aprons and beaded legs of square section terminating in scroll-form hoof feet set into a base stretcher raised on four short tabs. 35 5/8 in. (90.5 cm.) high, 19 1/8 in. (48.6 cm.) wide, 13¾ in. (34.9 cm.) deep - Est. $30,000 - $50,000

A zitan stool, fangdeng. 18th century

The recessed, three-panel top set within the square frame with 'ice-plate' edge, above a narrow, curved waist and gracefully shaped aprons and inward-curved legs terminating in hoof feet, set into a base stretcher raised on four short tabs. 20¾ in. (52.7 cm.) high, 21 in. (53.3 cm.) square - Est. $25,000 - $35,000

A set of four nanmu official's hat side chairs, guanmaoyi. 18th/19th century

Each with protruding top rail supported on rear posts of circular section and with curved splat above a rectangular frame enclosing the wood seat, all supported on legs of rounded square section joined by stepped stretchers and a footrest, beneath beaded aprons and spandrels in the front and plain aprons and spandrels on the sides and rear. 3/8 in. (105.1 cm.) high, 19¼ in. (48.9 cm.) wide, 16¼ in. (41.3 cm.) deep (4) - Est. $15,000 - $20,000

A pair of black-lacquered yumu southern official's hat armchairs, nanguanmaoyi. 17th/18th century

Each with gracefully curved top rail and S-shaped splat above the rectangular frame enclosing a hard mat seat, the arm rails supported by curved stiles and terminating in standing posts, each armchair with legs of rounded square section joined by stepped stretchers and a footrest beneath a beaded apron and spandrels at the front and plain aprons and spandrels on the sides and rear, the surface of each chair covered overall with a lustrous black lacquer. 35½ in. (90.2 cm.) high, 23½ in. (56.7 cm.) wide, 18 5/8 in. (47.3 cm.) deep (2) - Est. $12,000 - $18,000

Notes: A similar pair of black-lacquered yumu armchairs, although with carved splats and twin stiles supporting the arm rails, dated to the 18th century and from Shanxi, is illustrated in Classical and Vernacular Chinese Furniture in the Living Environment, Hong Kong, 1998, p. 121, no. 12.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art Including Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. 15 September 2009. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. Image 2009 Christie's Ltd www.christies.com