Chinese Yoke Back Side Chair with Water Buffalo Motif Top Rail

Upturned top rail, narrow back, and a seat with a small metal accent.

This yoke back side chair with water buffalo motif top rail is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the late 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. Chair in warm red-brown wood with a wavy crest rail curled at both ends over a tall central splat. The seat is a flat panel, and a shaped apron with a tiny white inlay sits below. Stretchers sit low. It is 21 inches long, 17 deep and 46 high.

Neat and lean, with one small sparkle.