A Pair of Chinese Carved Horseshoe Armchairs Quanyi

Circa 1900 or earlier, dense and heavy, likely huanghuali or hongmu wood, with an attractive tight grain throughout, the slender rounded segmented bentwood crest rail terminating in elegant hook handles, curved back panel, rounded spindle supports, soft mat seat with underside rounded edge, straight rounded legs with molded edge return panels, stretcher base with foot-rail.


Purchased from Tomlinson Antique House, Bangkok in 1990s.

This pair of chairs represent one of the classical styles of Chinese furniture. The Chinese name for this design of chair, quanyi, literally means "chair with a circular back" or "circle chair." In the Song dynasty (960–1279), it was referred to as kaolaoyang, a term derived from a large round basket traditionally woven from split bamboo. In English, however, the name is based on the shape of the back and armrests, which resemble a horseshoe.

Very good condition; with tight shrinkage cracks to back splats on both.