CA02
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Two-door cabinet with three drawers at the base and three additional drawers inside. Shanxi province, late Ming / early Qing, 17th century. The inside’s original finish consists of a red lacquer over fabric lining. The outside consists of a black laquer over fabric lining, freed from a later coat of paint. The complete hardware is old but replaced. Some drawer-bottoms are replaced, as well as (parts) of spandrels between the legs.
Dim.: WxDxH 115x61x186cm
(Private collection)
CA03
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Two-door cabinet with three drawers at the base, Shanxi province. Period in all probability late Ming, first half 17th century. All original hardware is still in place but the tiers on the doors are missing. The hinges, consisting of two halfround discs are known from several documented cabinets with Wanli mark (1573-1619) and, as a type, fully disappear not long after his reign. The doors show traces of the first state; a red lacquer over fabric lining. Later coatings of laquer and the influence of smoke have given the cabinet it’s present dark patina. Little remains of the finishing layers on the inside. The thick lacquer on the sides is strongly cracked and partially flaked of. What remains is however stabile. Restoration on one leg. Outside and inside lightly waxed. Both shelves are original.
Dim.: WxDxH 111x54x177cm
Price: ask for.
CA04
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Two-door cabinet, Shanxi province, late Ming / early Qing 17th century. The hinges are old but replaced. All other hardware is original. Thick black laquer over fabric lining on the front. The original paintings of figures in landscapes on the door’s panels, the golden ornaments on it’s frames and the garlands of grapevines on the cabinet’s carcas have been recovered from under thick layers of sooth. The lacquer on the sides is cracked but thick and strong. The two shelf-boards appear to be original. On the inside only the doors show finishing layers of lacquer. Inside and outside lightly waxed.
Dim.: WxDxH 130x65x172cm
Price: ask for.
CA05
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Two-door cabinet with two drawers at the base, Shanxi province, first half 18th century. The decorational framing with bamboo and lotus motif is typical for cabinets that have been used in temples. As a type this kind of cabinet could be considerabely older: examples dated to the 17th and 16th century are known. The techniques used here however, laquer on paper, a very typical strongly cracking red laquer and the kind of mouldings, make the early 18th century more likely. Repairs on both back legs. Waxed.
Dim.: WxDxH 161x65x163cm
€ 5.950
CA06
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Low model two-door cabinet, Shanxi province, late Ming / early Qing period, 17th century. The outside is finished in a red and black lacqer over a fabric lining. On the doors there is an embossed decoration in lacquer of blossoming branches and birds. The colors this decoration once must have had, are gone. The doors’s insides are finished in a more thin lacquer coating. The cabinet as shown here, is besides repairs on both back legs, yet untouched. Hardware on the locks is missing. The brass hinges with studs it once must have had and of which the holes are visible, have been replaced in the 18th century with wrought-iron ones. Shelf-board is missing. Ornament on one front leg is missing. All of this has yet to be brought back in the original condition.
Dim.: WxDxH 98x62x90cm
€ 3.900
CA07
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Halfhigh two-door cabinet, Shanxi province. Period: late Ming / early Qing, 17th century. Remarkebly solid and well made. Original heavy bright-red lacquer on the front that has changed color over time and under the influence of smoke to wine-red. The sides are finished in a thick dark lacquer that has partially flaked off. What remains of it is strong. One back leg has been repaired. The shelf-board is original; the bottom-board has been replaced. The hardware on the lock is original but incomplete. The hinges have been partially restored using old material. Considering the solidity of the whole, the thick, strong lacquer used, the refinement of the panelwork and the sturdy hardware, it is in all probability Ming.
Dim.: WxDxH 108x59x111cm
€ 4.400
CA08
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Two-door cabinet, Shanxi province, late Ming / early Qing 17th century. It’s compact proportions, the cap extending to three sides and the order of panels and stretchers put this cabinet firmly in the Ming tradition. It isn’t said though that this dates the cabinet automatically pre-1644; the change of style from Ming to Qing didn’t happen overnight. The old Ming style echoed on through the second half of the 17th century and made place only little by little to new style elements. Old red lacquer on the front under which at some spots one can see the first layer of lacquer; a dark purple strongly cracked lacquer. On the sides a partially flaked off purple-brown laquer that appears to be the first state. Original hardware. All pivots of the doors are replaced as well as two horizontal door-stretchers. The apron between the front legs is replaced as well as the shelfboard and the hatch inside.
Dim.: WxDxH 136x73x190cm
€ 7.500
