FINE ANTIQUE CHINESE QING DYNASTY CAMPHOR WOOD CARVINGS COMPOUND CABINET

Description

GJPaw
Auctions is pleased to offer for sale a stunning antique Chinese Compound Cabinet. It is beautifully crafted from camphor wood
(‘Xiangzhang’ or ‘Changmu’), and originates from Beijing, which because of the Imperial Court was renowned for its cross-pollination of furniture styles, as well as the standardization of many designs from across China. Camphor wood has been used for centuries in China for making cabinets and chests for storing clothes, bedding and fabrics, because the strong aroma acts as a natural repellent to insects. The reddish-brown heartwood contrasts against the much paler sapwood, giving a very attractive grain. The cabinet has four doors and features intricately carved auspicious symbols, including clouds and the bat. Clouds represent the heavens and also "good luck" because the Chinese word for cloud (
yun
云
) is pronounced the same as (
yun
运
) meaning luck or fortune. The bat (
fu
蝠
)
can
be a visual pun for "good fortune" or happiness (
fu
福
) because both characters are pronounced
fu
. Such auspicious symbolism indicates that this rare and highly collectible cabinet would have been part of a wedding dowry from an important and wealthy family: symbolism and function combining with beauty and practicality in a way that was the true hallmark of Chinese antique furniture.
The cabinet is in very good used condition, with wear consistent to a dating from the 19th century. Importantly, it is an intact, original piece. The measurements are 61.75 inches in length by 21.5 inches deep by 110 inches in height (156.8 cm by 54.6 cm by 279.4 cm). It has a fine provenance coming from an important U.S. mid-west collection of antique Chinese furniture. This is a rare and beautiful piece, excellent for today’s décor, and a unique opportunity for a collector of fine antique furniture to adorn either an office or home, while savoring the culture, traditions and lifestyle of Chinese civilization.
The Chinese character for cabinet (
柜
)
consists of the wood radical and a three-sided frame enclosing the character preciousness. Literally, cabinets of China had been made of wood and used for the containment of precious possessions. Their earliest form can be traced as far back as 433.B.C. Chinese cabinets were functional objects as well as works of art and came in various shapes, sizes, forms, and designs to hold a variety of objects, often in pairs symbolizing double happiness.
There are two main styles of large Chinese cabinets, their names derived from their contours: the square-corner cabinet and the round-corner cabinet (also known as the tapered or sloping-style, wood-hinged cabinet).
This cabinet is a square-cornered compound cabinet, which has vertical sides with the doors mounted on metal hinges. When a smallish storage chest is stacked on top of a regular-sized cabinet - or when two units of equal or different sizes are stacked on top of one another - the combination is collectively referred to as a compound cabinet. There was a clear division of use between the two units. The primary function o
f compound cabinets, were for keeping garments in the bed chambers, storing silk clothes in the front courts or keeping money and valuable goods in private rooms. This compound cabinet is showcase example of Chinese furniture featuring the most important artistic, decorative and functional aspects of Chinese culture and would be a centerpiece in any collection of Chinese antiques and furniture. It is available either as a single cabinet or more importantly as a pair (see separate listing), which as indicated is a symbol of double-happiness.
Additional images are available by request, and can usually be provided within 1 business day.
Standard international freight shipping is NOT included for this item.
Please inquire for freight quote, which will include custom crating and packaging, and International freight to your closest port, business or residential address. Additional shipping options, such as freight forwarding or white glove service can be added upon request.
GJPaw
Auctions has been in the Art business for over 25 years and is now expanding its operation to eBay.  Our goal is to bring the same experience and excitement of collecting that we have been delivering in-person to collectors across the Globe at
Primitive
in Chicago.  Every object we sell online has been carefully hand-selected with special attention to detail, quality, and significance. We ship worldwide. Add
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