Short Backed Elm Southern Officials Hat Armchair - 19th Century

This fine pair of antique Chinese armchairs (sold separately) comes from Shanxi province and is crafted in the classic Southern Official's Hat Chair form, also known as a writing chair. These chairs were historically favoured by poets, painters, and scholars, valued for both their comfort and elegance. The style originated in Jiangsu, central China, before spreading northwards - hence the use of the term southern.

Crafted from northern elm (yumu), each chair retains its graceful proportions with gently splayed arms and a tall backrest. The back panel is decorated with a pierced ruyi-head (Chinese sceptre) motif and a delicately carved geometric panel, details that reflect the refinement of the scholar's world. Originally coated in a protective burgundy lacquer, much of which has worn away with age and use, the surfaces now display a warm patina that enhances their historic character.

Hat chairs were traditionally made in pairs and placed either side of a wine or tea table, as often depicted in ancestor portraits and Chinese pith paintings. While larger sets are extremely rare, collectors often assemble harlequin sets from multiple pairs. Comparable examples can be found in many scholarly references on Chinese furniture, including Sarah Handler Mazurkewich's Chinese Furniture, fig. 92 & 98.

Each sold separately.