Dragon Carved Huanghuali Pedestal Desk

A carved huanghuali and hardwood pedestal desk, 20th century,…
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A carved Huanghuali and hardwood pedestal desk, 20th century, the wood with attractive grain and colour, the rectangular flush panelled top within a broad mitred frame, set at the front with four drawers, each carved with pairs of archaic-style dragons in relief, the sides and back similarly carved with a frieze of rectangular recessed panels enclosing further dragons in relief, supported on side pedestals each with two similarly decorated drawers over an open compartment with slatted base, the outer sides carved in relief with a rectangular panel of a bat carrying a Qing flanked by a pair of dragons, fitted with chased baitong scroll-shaped handles, 84 cm high, 163 cm wide, 71 cm deep. Provenance: Sotheby's. Sydney, 25 October 2016, lot 145 illustrated. Private Collection, Sydney, Compare with a huanghuali pedestal desk, sold Sotheby's, New York, 17 September 2016, lot 979, and a huanghuali partners' pedestal desk, sold Christie's, New York, 29 March 2006, lot 271

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  • Huanghuali Wood - Huanghuali is the most sought-after timber used in the construction of Chinese furniture because of its fine colour and grain.

    During Ming and early Qing dynasties, most of the best furniture was made from huanghuali wood.

    It is a member of the rosewood family and over time the surface mellows to a yellowish brown tone with the exposure to light.

    In recent years, furniture made from huanghuali wood has increased exponentially in value.
  • Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
  • Frieze - An architectural term denoting the flat, shaped or convex horizontal surface of furniture, between the architrave and the cornice, usually found on a cabinet or bookcase, or on desks and tables where it may include drawers, the area between the top and the legs. In ceramics, the term refers to the banding, of usually a repeating pattern, on the rims of plates and vases.

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