Sitting in style

A selection of chairs from our gallery.  Except for the earlier horseshoe armchair, all date from the late 1800s. 

 

• a black lacquer wedding chair with a carved back  splat in northern elm (yumu)
• a red chair from Fujian made of fir (shanmu)
• a tea chair from Hunan in camphor wood (zhangmu) with a nicely carved top rail
• a tea chair also in camphor wood  from Hunan but with a plain top rail
• a red lacquer camphorwood chair with carved back and arms from Guangdong 
• an arm chair in elm (yumu) from Shanxi
• a folding chair horseshoe armchair from the late 1700s made of Jichimu (genus Ormosa) also known as chicken-wing wood because the rays in the timber resemble bird feathers.

 Lorraine

Delicate walnut table

If you've ever seen walnut you'll know how attractive the colouring and grain is.  This late Qing table is a lovely example from Xian, the ancient capital of China, in Shaanxi province. 

Hou

Practical Storage

We believe furniture should be practical ... and storage should be beautiful.
Here are a few examples.

Hou

Lighting for all tastes

Customers often come looking for interesting lamps, so we've brought in a few different ranges.  Birdcage styles (made from bamboo); traditional ceramic bases in solid colours, textured finishes and strong patterns; delicate lace ceramics in blue and white or plain white; and some stunning silk floor lamps - there's plenty to choose from.  We can also arrange custom orders on all designs.

Hou

Beautiful set of mirrors

The frames for these mirrors were salvaged from the remains of a late 1800s wedding bed from Jiangxi province. The exquisite shape and details in the carving make for a stunning surround, while the high quality bevelled mirrors add the finishing touch.

Hou

Two of our favourite "rescues"

One of the joys of buying trips is spotting battered old pieces and seeing the beauty and elegance they will bring to the homes of our clients.  Here are two of our favourites...

Hou & Kelly

A first impression full of history

The highlight of our last trip was this magnificent pair of city gates from Shanxi province, dating back 1700s.  As with our earlier pieces, they can be placed on bespoke bases as tables, or hung as doors.  They're not for small spaces, standing 3.3m high and 1.6m wide (each), but will look absolutely amazing in the right place...
 
 

 Hou & Kelly

A great conversation starter

One of our favourite discoveries in our October 2009 trip was this large pair of doors from early 1800s Shanxi, complete with original metalwork.  After restoring the doors, our workshop crafted a bespoke base to convert them into a stunning dining table.  No changes were made to the doors themselves, so they can be turned back into a impressive front entrance at any time...

The table now takes pride of place in a client's holiday home on the South Coast.

Left: Hou and our workshop manager discusing how to design the base.

Centre & Right: The final table, showing one of the wooden stands we had made so that the centre of the table can be used when needed.  As always, both beautiful and practical...

Hou & Kelly

Found battered, bruised and missing a few teeth... now a beautiful and practical storage unit

This 1800s willow cupboard from Mongolia was in a sad state, but the delicate carvings and hints of painting caught our eye … now it would look at home in almost any decor.  The three carved panels have been converted into drawers to provide even more storage.

Hou & Kelly