Chinese Red Lacquer Official's Chair, c. 1900

With its strong lines and upright stature, this imposing piece of furniture was the chair of choice for a 19th-century administrator in northern China. Known as guanmaoyi or official...

Prior to the 10th century, Chinese society eschewed raised seats in favour of mats. The rising popularity of chairs and other forms of elevated seating led craftsmen to adapt traditional cabinetry and architecture techniques to the human body. In the case of this Yuanyi, or round chair, the flowing crest rail is a direct descendant of the simple armrests that had traditionally supported individuals on mats in their homes. This homage to an ancestral form, combined with traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery techniques, created an elegant, functional chair that has endured for centuries and inspired many contemporary furniture designers...

This bentwood chair was created over a century ago in northern China by moistening, bending, and heating willow to form its desired shape. It is beautifully carved with auspicious flowers and is considerably smaller than most roundback chairs. As the height and size of chairs were traditionally marks of status in Chinese culture, it is likely that this artful chair...

Unusual for its small scale, this 19th-century tall back chair is a diminutive update on the classic yoke-back armchair popular since the Song dynasty. The traditional seat is also r...

The Chinese folding chair was made in the beginning of the 19th century. It is worked out very beautiful and the red lacquer is in a good conditi...

Red lacquer child's chair with fine pierce carving and single drawer on the side.

A late 19th-century Chinese Qing Dynasty altar chair, exquisitely handcrafted from hardwood and finished in a bold imperial red lacquer. This striking piece exemplifies the fine craftsmanship and technical woodworking skills for which Chinese artisans were renowned. Constructed using traditional mortise and tenon joinery—an advanced technique that requires no nails or glue—the chair demonstrates remarkable stability and artistry, hallmarks of Qing Dynasty furniture. The chair’s centre back splat features parcel-gilt cartouche decorations, each meticulously hand-carved and gilded with symbolic Chinese motifs and a central figural scene. The rich red lacquer and gilding reflect the traditional colours associated with good fortune and reverence in Chinese culture. Compact in stature, this antique altar chair...

Antique Shanxi Province Red Lacquer Elm Side / Dining Chair This beautiful red elm side chair from the Shanxi Province of China can be used as a statement...