A pair of late Qing blackwood throne chairs, Sin$185,000 (£108,000) at Hotlotz.
Pieces of this general type, fashioned in local hardwoods and embellished with porcelain or stone panels, were a staple production of late 19th and early 20th century China. Many were sold for export or enjoyed by Westerners living in mainland China or its satellites.
However, these 3ft 8in (1.11m) wide examples, estimated by Hotlotz at Sin$15,000-25,000 on October 8, are among the best quality and most developed that the auction house had seen. They came from a local collection.
Of particular note is the extensive mother of pearl inlay – a profusion of deer, bats, flowering prunus and other auspicious motifs – plus the two yellow ground porcelain roundels with famille rose decoration that form the back rests.
Detail of the pair of late Qing blackwood throne chairs that sold for Sin$185,000 (£108,000) at Hotlotz.
One depicts the story of Wang Zhaojun, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China; the other The Five Elders of Huichang, the survivors of an attack on the Shaolin monastic complex variously said to have taken place in 1647 or in 1732.
The carved and pierced decoration includes mythical beast cabriole supports with ball and claw feet and ‘double coin’ stretcher rails.
Condition as well as sophistication was in their favour. Both chairs showed only relative light wear with some occasional mother of pearl losses, light fading, scratches and small chips to the rouge marble panels forming the seats.
The price was house record for furniture at Hotlotz and among the highest seen at auction for a pair of chairs from this period.
Detail of the pair of late Qing blackwood throne chairs that sold for Sin$185,000 (£108,000) at Hotlotz.
