Late 19th Century Pair of Huanghuali Horseshoe-Back Folding Armchair Early Qing Dynasty

The curved top rail with outscrolling arms, above a pierced carved splat depicting one qilin amongst clouds, the slatted seat over a scroll carved frieze, the slender legs united by a foot rest.

One of the key features of these chairs is the surface carving. Imbued with traditional Chinese symbols of positive meanings, the chair also indicates the owner’s wealth and status. Running along the façade of the seat are auspicious Chi-dragons, and on the splat are carved fortuitous symbols of good fortune, long life and prosperity which run the gamut from lively Qilin (Chinese unicorn), lotus blooms, Buddhist lions among other bears of luck.

The hunting chairs fold with ease, and comes with a handsome attached foot-stool. The ageless flowing dense grains of the precious Huanghuali adds greatly to the chair’s grand appeal.