Chinese Folding Camp Stool

Tall in the leg and light on frills, this folder stands like a surveyor's tripod.

This folding camp stool is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the mid 19th century. It is woven hemp & elm wood. Many Chinese antiques are now returning to China through auction houses and foreign dealers, as Chinese buyers actively purchase older pieces back, which the article describes as reclaiming their heritage. Slender crossed legs rise to a narrow seat strip held between two overhanging rails. A single stretcher joins the lower legs, and thick runners form the base. The finish is smooth amber with a few darker rubbed spots. It is 13 inches long, 9 deep and 17 high.

Practical to the point of austerity, and rather elegant about it.