Finding old Shanxi Furniture

Sometimes the feelings of exhilaration resulting from a great purchase are not consciously felt until years later.  The realization came when I reflected on a 17 century cabinet decorated with lively dragon designs.  It is one of many pieces that we bought on that particular day many years ago.  My husband Michael and I were shopping at an antique furniture market in Zhongshan, near Guangzhou (Canton) with our agent Leong who brought us to a shop ran by two brothers from Shanxi Province.  Shanxi is located in North Central China, a province that is part of the cradle of Chinese civilization.  By the Ming Dynasty (CE 1368 to 1644) it was the land of stately homes belonging to rich merchants and bankers who furnished their living interiors with the best furniture Chinese craftsmen could offer.  Shanxi furniture is desirable because varieties of high quality wood for furniture were available – northern elm, walnut, locust, oak, laurel and cedar.  We looked around and did not see anything worth buying.  The shopkeeper noticed our disappointment and told Leong that his brother had gone shopping back home and was due back later in the day with some great finds and would we come back after lunch.

Lunch in South China is as important as dinner.  Cantonese live to eat, and as the saying goes, they will eat anything that has four legs except a table.  Leong would order more food than we could possibly eat and anything less would be considered losing face. And I, saving face, would try to swallow morsels of the exotic delicacies he offered.  Fortunately for me, luncheon that day was a simple fare.  The anticipation of  new merchandise made all of us too excited to eat. Michael too, was busy giving me admonitions that I should keep a poker face; any excitement would cost him extra. 

We found a small crowd waiting outside when we returned to the shop.  The men were chain smoking while waiting.  Then we saw a cloud of dust following a small convoy of open back trucks (called Lorries) laden with furniture tied down to the frames.  The drivers stopped, jumped out of the cabs and started unloading.  It was hardly what I expected; cabinets were taken apart and tied in bundles, chairs and small tables the same way.  This is possible because all Chinese furniture is held together with joinery without using nails, and each piece can be taken apart and easily put back together.  One must have the expertise to visualize what the end result would be.

Babel erupted among the crowd.  Furniture dealers communicated in their local dialects.  Cantonese, Putonghua, Fukinese, and dialects that were new to me.  Leong brought our attention to a few choice pieces. Michael nodded his approval and he marked them with our name. Then a bidding war started.   The Yuan was weak and the US dollar strong.  Needless to brag who came out with the best pieces; the local dealers were not pleased.

Alas, the thrills of shopping for antique furniture are all but over.  Since 2009, China has imposed a ban on exportation of anything older than 1920’s, and that pretty much means everything good.  The strong Chinese economy signals the tables have turned.  We cannot go back and buy as we did.  Savoring the euphoria we felt that day, we realize that opportunity would never come again.  Nevertheless, we did well. After heavy cleaning and light restoration, those bundled pieces of wood became these fabulous pieces. Shanxi furniture exemplifies the finest features of Chinese vernacular furniture – fine quality wood and craftsmanship. With a little imagination, each of these pieces can be the focal point of a room. Shanxi furniture is well known among collectors but has not been properly introduced to the general audience.  It is a worthy topic for further discussion.

17 Century Walnut Cabinet with Dragon Designs

17 Century Lacquered Cabinet

18 Century Altar Table

18 Century Painted Cabinet