Set of 4 ‘Continuous Yokeback’ Armchairs (4) - Elm wood - China - Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

Set of 4 Ulmus ‘Continuous Yokeback’ Armchairs Ulmus wood ‘Continuous Yokeback’ form with slightly curved back splat in a simple design, also known as ‘Southern Official’s Hat Armchair’ C-shaped round bars forming the armrest Solid square seat rests with a fine bamboo meshwork On square-cut legs, ornate with a plain three-piece arch-shaped apron with cusped outline The wood with fine grain and of natural yellowish brown color Dimensions: 92 x 52 x 42 cm Good condition PLEASE NOTE : Shipping inside EU is possible. Germany - 100 Euro (shipping cost for 1 lot) Rest of EU - 250 Euro (shipping cost for 1 lot) All the rest outside of the EU, please contact us before so we can give you a price for forwarding. You can ofcourse make the shipment by yourself in this case we will help with custom and transport issues. Provenance: Private collection of a German diplomat, thence by descent Literature: Cf. Jacobsen, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis 1999, 52f. Continuous ‘yoke back’ armchairs The simple chairs also referred to as ‘Southern Official's Hat Armchair’ (nanguanmaoyi) are characterized by their harmonious surface, their rounded corners and sinuous frame. Due to their design they are also known as ‘continuous yoke back armchairs’. In particular, the S-shaped backrest is very popular, thus it is not surprising that chairs of this kind, made of both hard and soft wood, are found throughout China. The continuous arm and backrests are reminiscent of bent bamboo structures from the Ming dynasty. Both in the Ming and in the following Qing dynasty, the shape of these chairs was very common and often decorated with silk textiles.