Chinese Lacquered Money Chest, circa 1850

The worn edges and rich patina of this two-drawer table serve to outline this 19th century provincial table’s elegant lines. Made of northern Chinese elm (yumu) favored by woodworker...

This small locking cabinet from the early 19th century has a timeworn texture that only time can achieve. The square-corner cabinet has a streamlined design with straight sides and a...

This unusual lacquered stool is a 19th-century barber's stool designed to be carried from place to place for roadside haircuts. Crafted with traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery, th...

This mid-19th century fang deng (square stool) was made in Hebei province and crafted of elm foraged from the forests of northern China. The stretchers encircling the outer edges of the rounded legs highlight the masterful carpentry employed to create this very pure and simple form in the most elegant Ming fashion. This detail gives the design a natural flow and references bent bamboo. Chinese carpenters during the Qing dynasty held simplicity and craftsmanship in equal regard. In this spirit they emulated the simpler forms of bamboo furniture making that were popular in earlier times...