Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

Antique Chinese Armchairs Pair Official Hat Yoke Back Carved Motifs Lacquered

$5,342.20per set
£3,950per set
€4,676.52per set
CA$7,386.06per set
A$8,273.63per set
CHF 4,345.61per set
MX$100,604.71per set
NOK 55,029.62per set
SEK 52,237.91per set
DKK 34,902.70per set

About the Item

A stunning pair of fine antique lacquered Chinese armchairs in wonderful condition. Impressively sized and dripping with quality, this beautiful pair will add stunning bygone Oriental style and exquisite cultured grandeur to any setting. Most likely made in the mid-to-late 19th Century, in the beautiful Ming Dynasty style of several hundred years earlier, this large and ornate pair of armchairs are made from solid elm with dark lacquer showing traces of orange and red. Large, sturdy and impressive, these throne-like chairs were made to make an impact and were reserved for the most high-status of bottoms! Called Official Hat, Scholars or Yoke Back chairs, these chairs were reserved for nobility, officials and scholars. They feature striking wavy Yak-horn-shaped crest rails, which mimicked the hats worn by the officials who used them. They have tall and wonderfully curved 'S'-shaped yoke back splats, denoting status, with stunning ancient Buddhist carvings. The quality of craftsmanship can be seen throughout, with the curved back supports, beautiful curved arms with wavy arms supports, large rectangular sunken tiered seats over sturdy legs with side and rear stretchers and beautiful robust footrest front stretchers. This fine pair have gorgeous wear, patination and sumptuous rich toning as well as wonderful signs of joinery and beautiful carpentry embellishments throughout; note the exquisite, shapely supporting aprons to the crest rails and arms, the side, rear and front legs – the latter having gorgeous thistle-like sun carving details. The carvings to the back splats are of the Asian Swastika, which has always been the symbol of all things good - peace, compassion, luck, success and happiness. In Chinese Buddhism the clockwise swastika, as these are, symbolises future success and happiness and many Buddhist rituals, such as circumambulation, follow this direction. In China, the swastika is also the symbol for 'Wan', meaning ten thousand, an auspicious number in the Chinese classical culture, so these carvings can be understood to symbolise 'peace and harmony in ten thousand directions’. All in all this is a wonderful pair of fine antique armchairs, which are as much a joy to sit in as they are to behold. These are as good a pair as we've seen and the price for some can approach the six-figure range so grab these stunners while you can. CONDITION These are in good antique condition. Wonderfully made and built to last, they are structurally sound and sturdy. They have the to-be-expected minor scuffs and marks, which only add to their antique charm. Overall they're in wonderful and quite remarkable condition for their age and if well looked after they should last another 150+ years - please see the photos. MEASUREMENTS Height - 113cm, Width - 62cm, Depth - 61cm, Seat Height - 51cm, Seat Width - 50cm, Seat Depth - 41cm, Weight - 8.5kg per chair.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 44.49 in (113 cm)Width: 24.41 in (62 cm)Depth: 24.02 in (61 cm)Seat Height: 20.08 in (51 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    Ming (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1870s
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. These are in good antique condition. Wonderfully made to last, they are structurally sound and sturdy. They have the to-be-expected minor scuffs and marks, which only add to their antique charm. Please see full Condition Report in Description.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU6236245456952

More From This Seller

View All
Blonde Chinese Horseshoe Armchairs Grand Tutor Oriental Country Antique Thrones
Located in London, GB
A gorgeous rare pair of large blonde Chinese bent-arm Horseshoe-back armchairs in lovely antique condition. Almost certainly made in Shandong Province in 19th Century China, these ex...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Ming Armchairs

Materials

Elm

Pair Oak Jacobean Hall Side or Dining Chairs Early 1600s Country House Antique
Located in London, GB
A remarkable and museum-worthy pair of extremely rare and attractive Jacobean carved oak chairs in lovely antique condition. Most likely made in England in the late-Jacobean period a...
Category

Antique 17th Century British Jacobean Side Chairs

Materials

Oak

Arts & Crafts Oak Chairs Pair Side Hall Dining Chairs Rupert Griffiths Craftsman
Located in London, GB
A strikingly attractive and rare pair of oak Arts & Crafts hall, side or dining chairs by an English master-craftsman in wonderful vintage condition. Made by renowned craftsman Ruper...
Category

Mid-20th Century British Arts and Crafts Side Chairs

Materials

Oak

Pair Of Regency Mahogany Hall Chairs 1810 Gillows Of Lancaster Country House
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
A gorgeous, fine and very unusual pair of carved mahogany Regency large hall chairs in wonderful condition. Attributed to world-renowned Gillows of Lancaster and likely made around 1...
Category

Antique 1810s British Regency Chairs

Materials

Mahogany

A Pair Of Painted Regency Faux Bamboo And Rush Seat Chairs
Located in London, GB
A Pair of Regency Faux Bamboo and Rush Seat Chairs with Original Patina. We are pleased to offer a charming pair of Regency faux bamboo chairs...
Category

Antique 1820s English Regency Side Chairs

Materials

Rush, Beech, Paint

Pair of Georgian Oak Country Chairs 1780 Country Farmhouse Welsh Dining Antique
Located in London, GB
A gorgeous and rare pair of Georgian oak dining or occasional chairs in lovely antique condition. Most likely made in Wales around 1780, these fabulous and versatile chairs are dripp...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century British Chippendale Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Oak

You May Also Like

Pair of Antique Chinese Qing Dynasty Style Official's Hat Armchairs
Located in Pomona, CA
Look at this matching pair of Qing Dynasty Style Official's Hat Armchairs. The members of this chair are delicate and slender. The back splat is made up of three connected sections. It have some openwork medallion carved with Chinese traditional folks arts. Below the seat is an ornamental opening with an arch-shaped inner frame. This kind of armchairs with four protruding ends were extremely common in the Qing dynasty, and this type of chair was most oftener seen in the reception room, studio or bedroom. Please see the pictures on the left, It is truly an antique and collectible...
Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Elm

Pair of Chinese Yoke Back Official's Hat Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Dramatic pair of Chinese yoke back official's hat chairs featuring a Shuangxi emblem on the backsplat. These carved chairs have a lacquer finish with...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Chairs

Materials

Lacquer, Wood

Pair of 19th Century Chinese Official's Hat Chairs
Located in Kastrup, DK
19th century Chinese Official chair. Elmwood, original red and black lacquer. Back splat with vague remains of decorations (natural wear and tea...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Armchairs

Materials

Elm

Antique Chinese Ju Mu Hat Armchairs with Authentication Pair
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Armchairs

Materials

Elm, Wicker

Pair of Chinese Elm Yoke Back Officials Hat Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Highly carved pair of Chinese elm yoke back officials hat chairs. Featuring a decorative back splat with figural scenes. The arms have a whimsical serpentine form and the spandrels on the crest and front apron have finely carved detail. Constructed with a mortise and tenon joinery and supported by square legs with a foot rest in the front. Also known as pagoda chairs...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture

Materials

Elm

19th C. Chinese Qing Dynasty Hardwood Official's Cap Armchairs
Located in Rochester, NY
Pair of Chinese Qing dynasty hardwood elm yoke back armchairs ( officials hat chairs ) in beautifully aged original old surface color patina w/ well figured ...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture

Materials

Hardwood, Elm