明末 黃花梨天平架

天平架底箱以兩塊木板橫放嵌入貳厚板足構成，中設抽屜一具。板足造型美觀，沿邊起線，鎪抱鼓壽紋。兩根方材立柱下端出榫納入板足，上接橫樑。橫樑下安橫棖，嵌鑲花鳥紋縧環板。橫棖下安透雕卷螭龍紋角牙，與立柱兩側精雕螭紋抵夾站牙互相呼應。立柱上下端臥鑲白銅飾件與橫樑和底箱相連，起加固作用。抽屜臉安銅面頁及拉手。

伍嘉恩，《楮檀室夢旅：攻玉山房藏明式黃花梨家具展覽》，香港中文大學文物館，香港，1991年，編號68，頁162-163
丹佛藝術博物館，丹佛，1997-99年

葉承耀，〈收藏黃花梨明式家具〉，《Arts of Asia》，1991年5-6月，頁121，圖15

Overall good condition, with typical surface wear to the fragile extremities. There has been minor consolidation to the drum elements on the sides, front left drum with 4cm area, front right with 3cm area.
"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."

「明末天平架，雖為日用，巧製如斯。」

天平是稱銀兩等用的小秤，在以白銀為主要貨幣的時代，天平是常用的衡具，天平架就是應用而生的案頭家具。明代家居及商鋪同樣使用天平架。參見明朝話本小說《二刻拍案驚奇》「神偷寄興一枝梅」中所繪家中圖例及明刊本《金瓶梅詞話》第六十回插圖中店東使用天平架。

前加州中國古典家具博物館收藏一具相似但全身光素的例子，見於王世襄、袁荃猷，《明式家具萃珍》，美國中華藝文基金會，芝加哥、洛杉磯，1997年，編號76，頁160-161。傳世品中黃花梨天平架十分稀少，華麗如此的更覺罕見。