Pair of Qing Dynasty Huanghuali Southern Chinese rose Arm Chairs. Each beautifully proportioned with narrow crest rail supported on slender, gracefully tapered and curved rear posts flat splat, Adorned with Rose-shaped pierced motif, above the hard mat seat set within the beaded frame with rounded edges, the elegantly curved, slender arm rails supported on vertical posts and terminating in widely out swept front rails, all above plain aprons and spandrels, the whole supported on legs of rounded-square section joined by stepped stretchers and the footrest above a plain apron, the wood of attractive golden yellowish-brown tone with ghost face patina. The Huanghuali wood is dense and has been expertly polished to give a glinting sheen as the light hits the surface. Some grain structures may be likened to the shape of ghost faces.


Measurements: Height: 35 1/2" Width: 22 3/4" Depth: 18 7/8"

Lot Notes:

Huanghuali, or "yellow flowering pear" wood, is a rare species of rosewood, mainly produced in Hainan province and once adorned imperial abodes. It is botanically classified as Dalbergia odorifera. Huanghuali has witnessed a sharp price rise in recent years due to increased demand and limited supply. The volume of new huanghuali wood originating in Hainan is so small it has now been placed under State protection and might risk going extinct. Originally know as huali or hualu, the modifier huang (yellowish-brown) was added in the early twentieth century to describe old huali wood whose surfaces had mellowed to a yellowish tone due to long exposure to light. The color can range from reddish-brown to golden-yellow. Historical references point to Hainan Island as the main source of huali. However, variations in the color, figure, and density suggest similar species sourced throughout North Vietnam, Guangxi, Indochina and the other isles of the South China Sea. The sweet fragrance of huali distinguishes it from the similar appearing but pungent-odored hongmu. The finest huanghuali has a translucent shimmering surface with abstractly figured patterns that delight the eye. Those appearing like 'ghost faces' were highly prized.