This is the first book to place Ming furniture design within the context of Chinese architectural intent. Illustrating spectacular examples of Ming furniture from private and museum collections around the world; construction and function come together in a harmonious and indivisible whole.

Made of rare hardwoods or lacquered softwoods, the remarkable furniture discussed here includes a variety of chairs, tables, beds and cabinetry

The development of Chinese furniture peaked during the Ming dynasty. In late Ming, lacquer furniture was in common use, but hardwood was much more sought-after as the nation craved antique design. the Lu Ming Shi colection of Mr. Philippe De Backer, showcased here, contains a vast number of ming hardwood pieces. The collection covers virtually the full rangeof classical Chinese furniture.

The international market for antique Chinese furniture is booming, and masterpieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties are now worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Chinese Furniture is a survey of these collectibles--from the very best hardwood pieces featured to standard softwood specimens still available on the Asian market. This antique furniture book presents an overview of carving styles, wood types, regional variations, class distinctions and restoration techniques. It includes detailed chapters on various types of wooden furniture cover chairs, stools and benches, tables and desks, beds, cabinets and bookshelves, doors and screens and household accessories. With this renewed interest in antique furniture, a forgery market has emerged. Thousands of factories in southern China are churning out brand new or refurbished furniture and passing them off as Chinese antiques. Chinese Furniture unearths these forgeries and serves as an indispensable reference guide for collectors of antique wood furniture.

Chinese classical furniture is esteemed throughout the world for its beauty, functionalism, and influence on contemporary design aesthetics. Sarah Handler's stunningly illustrated volume traces Chinese hardwood furniture from its earliest origins in the Shang dynasty (c. 1500 to c. 1050 B.C.) to the present. She offers a fascinating and poetic view of Chinese furniture as functional sculpture, a fine art alongside the other Chinese arts of calligraphy, architecture, painting, and literature. Handler, a widely respected scholar of Chinese furniture, uses her knowledge of Chinese social, political, and economic history to provide a backdrop for understanding the many nuances of this art form. Drawing on literary and visual evidence from excavated materials, written texts, paintings, prints, and engravings, she discusses how people lived, their notions of hierarchy, and their perceptions of space. Her descriptions of historical developments, such as the shift from mats to chairs, evoke the psychological and sociological ramifications. The invention of a distinctive way to support and contain people and things within the household is one of China's singular contributions, says Handler. With more than three hundred exquisite illustrations, many in color, Handler's comprehensive study reveals "the magical totality of Chinese classical furniture, from its rich surfaces and shrewd proportions down to the austere soul of art that resides in the hardwood interiors." Austere Luminosity recognizes Chinese classical furniture as one of China's premier arts, unique in the furniture traditions of the world.

The University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong presents Classical Chinese Huanghuali Furniture from the Haven Collection and publishes this informative edition in conjunction with the exhibition. Chinese huanghuali furniture is world-famous and, for the longest time, has been collected in both East and West. The fine selection displayed here shows both domestic furniture and scholars' items, such as brush pots and chests. In Ming dynasty China, traditional wood architecture and Buddhist thrones inspired Chinese furniture makers and, as trade expanded, so did the amount of hardwood furniture in the form of sophisticated movable pieces and built-in interiors. Ming furniture is known for its elegant lines and carved details. During the reign of Emperor Longqing (1567-1572) China opened its borders, previously implemented import bans were lifted and a greater variety of building materials became available. Consequently, during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) the most celebrated types of domestic furniture were made from huanghuali and zitan woods. The elegant dark hardwood with natural shine is remarkable for the fact that Chinese furniture is typically made from solid timber, not an invisible subconstruction covered by a decorative veneer, as is so often the case in the West. The strength of each individual element of a piece of furniture and the consistent color matter, as every detail is exposed and the precision of the joints and the size and position of the dowels are all visual elements of an often simple and graceful design. In some pieces the joints are detectible and accessible, sometimes demountable, or else expertly hidden in the more sophisticated pieces. Applied surface finishes were generally only a layer of wax; no stains or clear lacquer seals were added to the dense and inherently decorative woods.