A RARE PAIR OF HONGMU AND ZITAN SQUARE-CORNERED 'FLOWERS AND BIRDS' CABINETS QING DYNASTY, 18TH – 19TH CENTURY |

each of corner construction opening to two interior shelves and backed with moulded panels, beautifully carved on the front doors, one cabinet with an egret standing in a lotus pond and two birds perched on branches of flowering hibiscus, the other cabinet with two couple of birds, among prunus and narcissus on one side and flowering quince above orchids on the other, the side panels with plain fielded panels, all supported on four square-section posts forming the legs, with huangtong hinges incised with dragons, central plates with lock receptacles and fish-shaped door pulls

The two cabinets are in overall good condition. The carved apron at the bottom in front of the two cabinets is made of hongmu, and is of a brighter colour and grain as visible on the catalogue photo. There are some expected age cracks, including a vertical crack slightly opening running from the upper left corner of one cabinet down to the upper bird (first cabinet on the left on the catalogue photo, left door) as well as vertically across its left side panels. There are further age cracks and a discoloured area in the wood on the right side panel, as well as a small repaired section to the upper left corner of the frame, this together with small repairs showing on the interior. The carved apron at the bottom in front of the two cabinets is made of hongmu, and is of a brighter colour and grain as visible on the catalogue photo. There are filled-in tennons on the left post in the front frame of each cabinets, showing that these were recycled from another piece of furniture as this can be expected with huanghuali and zitan furniture of the period. There are expected light scratches to the interior shelves and back, but overall the two cabinets have been very well preserved with no major structural alterations and only a few expected occasional repairs. The carving is particularly good.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

These sophisticated cabinets are of classical square corner construction. The doors are mounted with brass hinges finely incised with intertwined archaistic dragons and flowers. There are two plain shelves without drawers on the interior and the back is made of two moulded panels, indicating a special care given to their finishing. Their proportion is well balanced and would indicate that this set was not meant to support further chests on top but are complete. The doors appear to be made of zitan while the frame, shelves and backs are made of hongmu, which can be expected considering the scarcity of zitan at this stage of the Qing dynasty.  All four doors are exquisitely carved with birds and flowers in elegant compositions reminiscent of the earlier Kangxi and Yongzhen periods. The decoration on the panels of the four doors are meant to resemble scroll paintings, and may well be the actual reproduction of actual flowers and birds scrolls from the Qing court collection or taken from contemporary prints. The first one on the far right depicts two birds resting on plum branches, gazing at each other above rocks issuing further clusters of elderberries and narcissus. On the opposite side, two other birds play around branches of flowered quince bending above orchids. The second cabinet depicts the life in a pond, with an egret sheltered by wide lotus leaves expecting a good catch for dinner, while above, balancing on the spindly twig of a water reed, a kingfisher is about to fall on a reckless fly. On the fourth door, a graceful butterfly cannot disturb a couple of lovebirds sharing their passion in sweet melodies resonating among lush hibiscus flowers. 

There are other cabinets and duobaoge featuring flowers and birds, either in huanghuali, zitan or hongmu, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing. See for example the side panels of a monumental pair of Zitan cabinets from the Qing court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Ming and Qing Furniture in the Palace Museum vol.15, Beijing, 2015, pl. 80. This pair is similarly carved with flowers and birds enclosed in upright panels, possibly from the same pictorial source. Compare also a pair of zitan cabinets, dingxianggui, sold with Poly auctions, Beijing, 30th November 2007, lot 80. All these pieces show a distinctive style and may well originate from the same workshop, specializing in the carving of flowers and birds after early Qing Dynasty masters.

Other Zitan cabinets from the Qing Court collection, also preserved in the Palace Museum, include one carved with phoenix and another with the symbols of the Eight Immortals, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pls 205 and 206, together with three cabinets with matching upper shelves, pls 204, 208 and 209. Compare also a slightly larger zitan cabinet carved on the front with bats, and the sides with a similar motif of a lotus pond and birds perched on flowering trees, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th November 2005, lot 1604.