PAIR OF ANTIQUE CHINESE HIGH YOKE BACK ARMCHAIRS WITH RATTAN SEATS HUALI?

Description

THESE ITEMS WILL NOT BE SHIPPED. LOCAL PICK-UP ONLY!
An antique pair of yoke-back armchairs, perhaps some the most famous chairs created during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They came in both armed and non-armed styles and has gained popularity during the golden age.
This is most commonly referred to as the “official’s hat chair” because of the curved shape of its crest rail – the topmost horizontal accent piece on the back – where most folks back in the day would hang their hats. This is also referred to as a “yoke-back” chair because of its resemblance to yokes used in oxen. The chairs also feature curved splats and highly evident when viewed from the side.
The last photo shows a side-by-side comparison with one of my dining chairs so you can see the difference on their seat height. The dining chair is not included in the sale.
Another important feature of these yoke-back chairs are the four stretchers supporting the legs. These horizontal supports between each legs are positioned at different heights, termed as “bubugao”, which means “rising step by step”, or “reaching a higher level with each step”. This is very symbolic and shows the superior status of the seated person.
For its age and with age-appropriate wear, these chairs are still in very good to excellent condition. Two of the decoration near the crest are a bit loose, one of the arm rests is also needing some reinforcement.
MEASUREMENTS:
Overall height : 48.5″ (123.19 cm)
Overall depth: 18″ (45.72 cm)
Overall width: 23.25″ (59.06 cm)
Seat height: 21″ (53.34 cm) – the seat height for the dining chair on the last photo is 17″ (43.18 cm)
Seat depth: 17.5″ (44.45 cm)
Seat width: 22.5″ (57.15 cm)