Early 20th Century Chinese Elmwood Armchair with Curved Back and Arms

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period elmwood horseshoe back chair from the 19th century, with hand-carved medallion and natural patina. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this elmwood chair...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty elmwood armchair from the 19th century with slatted back and arms. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this elmwood chair features a pierced slatted back...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period carved wooden lacquered elmwood armchair from the 19th century, with traditional auspicious motifs. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this elm armchair features a straight, slightly in-curving back showcasing a splat carved with traditional motifs such as calligraphy, scholar's objects and foliage. Two curving arms come to rest on the wooden seat with recessed panel while the ensemble is raised on four straight legs connected to one another through aprons carved on three sides. Boasting a nice patina, this 19th century Chinese Qing Dynasty elm...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period elm wood armchair from the 19th century with hand-carved apron and floral motifs. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century, this elm...

Prior to the 10th century, Chinese society eschewed raised seats in favor of mats. The rising popularity of chairs and other forms of elevated seating led craftsmen to adapt traditio...

Chinese Carved Hardwood Horseshoe Ming Style Barrel Back Lounge Arm Chair. Item features a solid wood frame, nicely carved details, great style and form. Circa Late 20th Century. Mea...

Antique 18th Century Chinese Yoke-Back Armchair in Lacquered Pearwood. A stunning antique Chinese yoke-back armchair from the 18th century. A remarkable design - quintessentially Chinese and of monumental proportions. Should have been a chair for someone important. The design rooted in the Ming-style from several hundred years before this chair was created - showing straight and strict proportions combined with sculptural and flowing shapes all hand carved from solid wood. Remarkable to see a chair this 'boxy' could be so sculptural and dynamic in appearance. Also, this chair is quite comfortable to sit in. Whereas in Japan it was the custom to kneel on the floor or to squat on cushions, chairs were the rule in China from an early date - both for dining and relaxing. Chairs with arms were more honorific than those without and both kinds were for men - women sat on stools. The design of these antique Chinese chairs...

Prior to the 10th century, Chinese society eschewed raised seats in favor 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 crestrail 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...