Pair of showcase cabinets, China, e

Pair of showcase cabinets, China, end of the 19th century, Nanmu wood (Chinese coffin tree), rectangular body with lateral front strips. In the upper part four narrow glass doors, the two in the middle functioning as double doors, flanked by a door on each side open against each other. The same system for the four smaller doors below the 3 drawers with brass handles. The cabinet is closed at the bottom by a drawer across the entire width. Below that, fine carvings with flower motifs. Small carvings on the sides and above under a capital-like closure, height 174 x 107 x 51 cm
Nanmu (Phoebe nees) and nanmu burl (douban nan) were often mentioned as materials par excellence in the writings of the Ming literati. The former was often used to build cupboards; the latter for decorative cabinet door and table tops as well as smaller scientific objects.
Nanmu is a large, slow-growing tree from the evergreen laurel family, which develops with a long, straight trunk 10-40 meters high and 50 to 100 cm in diameter. Although it shares some characteristics with the coniferous cedar, it has no botanical relationship. More than thirty species are found south of the Yangzi River with concentrations in the southwest; Varieties are also native to Hainan Island and Vietnam.
Zhennan (True Nanmu) from Sichuan and Guizhou, Zinan (Purple Nanmu) from the southeast and south-central regions and Hongmaoshan Nan (Hongmao Mountain Nanmu) from Hainan Island are generally considered to be the best woods. These woods range in color from a warm olive-brown shade to a red-brown shade. Other Nanmu species with coarse, loosely structured grain and lighter color are considered to be inferior.
Provenance: Acquired in 2006 from the Beijing art trade. Place of manufacture Fujian. With export certificate from Radiance. - Private collection Germany