十七世紀 黃花梨壺門圈口三層架格一對17TH CENTURY十七世紀 黃花梨壺門圈口三層架格一對68 ½in. (173.9cm.) high, 40 ¾in. (103.3cm.) wide, 15 in. (38.5cm.) deepWang Shixiang in Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture notes that bookcases such as these are used for both display and storage and are often called shjia or shuge both of which mean bookcase but because objects other than books were placed upon them, he refers to them as ‘open shelf stands’. These open shelf stands take the form of four simple uprights with horizontal shelves the full width of the piece, sometimes, as is the case here, with a three-sided gallery that outlines a shelf called an anquankou (partitioned openings). Both elaborate and simple designs emanate from the Ming dynasty. When the shelves are divided and are placed at different heights and are different lengths, although their decoration may be simple, they date from the Qing dynasty. This is borne out by the famous set of paintings in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, The Twelve Beauties of the Yuanmingyuan that date from the Kangxi period, or more specifically 1709 – 1723. For a comprehensive discussion of these paintings see Early Qing Furniture in a Set of Qing Dynasty Court Paintings by Tian Jiaqing (Orientations, January 1993). Of the ‘open shelf stands’ or bookcases known nearly all the hardwood (rather than lacquer) examples have drawers. Sarah Handler in the Winter 1993 Journal of the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, quoting from George Kates Chinese Household Furniture suggests that the common term for drawers chouti implies that they are “pullable trays” and that they would be taken from the bookcase to the table which, of course, had no drawers. No other pairs of ‘open shelf stands’ or bookcases are known although sets must have existed as Wen Zhenheng suggests in his late Ming publication Zhang wu zhi jiao zhu (The Treatise on Superfluous Things) that bookcases should be “7 ft high and 14 ft broad” with the often quoted advice to “avoid putting books on the bottom shelf, where they will be spoiled by damp”, taken from Chinese Furniture by Craig Clunas.Details A PAIR OF IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE HUANGHUALI BOOKSHELVES, JIAGE17TH CENTURYEach rectangular bookshelf is of pleasing proportion, the moulded, beaded square sections of the frame support three shelves, the top shelf with a high rail set with five cusped ornamental openings carved on both sides, the bottom shelf above a plain apron and shortspandrels.68 ½in. (173.9cm.) high, 40 ¾in. (103.3cm.) wide, 15 in. (38.5cm.) deep Provenance One of the pair:The Dr. S.Y. Yip Collection of Fine and Important Classical Chinese Furniture, Christie’s New York, 20 September 2002, lot 33The other:C.L. Ma, Hong Kong Literature One of the pair:Selected Treasures of Chinese Art: Min Chiu Society Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong, 1990, cat. pl. 262Grace Wu Bruce, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S Y Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991, pp. 108-109, no. 41Yip Shing Yiu, ‘Collecting Ming Furniture of Huang Hua-Li Wood’, Arts of Asia, May-June 1991, p. 121, fig. 13C. Evarts, ‘Best of the Best’ An Exhibition of Ming Furniture form Private Collections, Arts of Asia, May-June 1995, pp. 135-141, no. 8Tian Jiaqing, ‘Early Qing Furniture in a Set of Qing Dynasty Court Paintings’, Orientations, January 1998, reprinted in Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999, p. 158, fig. 13 Exhibited One of the pair:Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1990-1991Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 20 September-24 November, 1991Denver Art Museum, 1996-1999Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 18-26 November 1999Both:The Hong Kong Museum of Art, In Pursuit of Antiquities: Thirty-fifth Anniversary Exhibition of the Min Chiu Society, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 261, cat. no. 261The Radiant Ming, 1368-1644 Through the Min Chiu Society Collection, Hong Kong, 2015, cat. pp. 282-283, no. 219 Special notice Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory, tortoiseshell and crocodile. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. Post lot text Please note these lots incorporate material from endangered species which could result in export restrictions. You should check the relevant customs laws and regulations before bidding on this lot if you plan to import the lot into another country. Please refer to Christie’s Conditions of Sale. Conditions of sale