A near pair of 18th century Anglo-Chinese huanghuali... Lot 169

A near pair of 18th century Anglo-Chinese huanghuali and padouk bureau cabinets, each with a moulded cornice above a pair of panelled doors with leaf carved mouldings, enclosing two adjustable shelves and two drawers, above a hinged fall revealing an arrangement of drawers and pigeonholes with a central cupboard door, above four long graduated drawers, on bracket feet, with paktong escutcheons, hinges and handles, 188.2cm high, 109cm wide, 55.7cm deep and 188.2cm high, 109cm wide, 57.2cm deep. (2) Provenance: Purchased by the current vendor's husband from Sotheby's, December 1980. Catalogued as: 'Property of a Gentleman, A rare pair of Padouk bureau bookcases, probably Macau, early 19th century.' These fine bureau cabinets were constructed in China, probably Canton or Macau for an English client possibly ordered for an East India Company official. They are made of huanghuali and padouk both timbers native to Asia. Huanghuali (Dalbergia odorifera) literally translates as 'yellow flowering pear' wood which is a member of the rosewood family. It was predominately found on the island of Hainan and was the wood of choice for the Emperor and the elite during the Ming and Qing dynasties. These cabinets are based on an English prototype but constructed in an entirely Chinese way, in-particularly with the use of solid timbers.