Chinese Wood Armchair

Black elbow chair with an arched back and a seat panel framed in dark rails.

This armchair is from Guangdong Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is elm wood. During the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, a great deal of antique Chinese furniture was burned, confiscated or scattered, which the article says helped start the scarcity of such pieces. Arched back rail flows into arms that bend down along the sides. The splat is plain, the seat is a recessed panel, and the apron below has a soft curve. Square legs and box stretchers. Black coat has brown wear marks. It is 23.5 inches long, 17.25 deep and 38.25 high.

A seat for a patient host with a sturdy frame.