A RARE HUANGHUALI APOTHECARY CABINET, YAOGUI
Early Qing dynasty, 17th century
The rectangular frame set with a pair of finely figured paneled doors fitted flush with the surface and opening to reveal a central framed open compartment with paired recessed doors, enclosed by a series of three horizontal drawers at the top and sides over two rows of three and two drawers at the base, all fitted with elegant baitong pulls, all set into a base frame with baitong corner mounts, rectangular handles, face plates and hinges.
Cabinet: 29 1/2 x 23 7/8in x 14in (74.9 x 60.7 x 35.5cm);
Base: 25 1/2in long x 15 1/2in deep (64.7 x 39.3cm).
Footnotes:
清初期 十七世紀 黃花梨方角藥櫃

Provenance:
Ever Arts, Hong Kong, 1 March 1996

來源：
香港恆藝館（Ever Arts），1996年3月1日

Traveling cabinets of this size served various functions, as bookcases, storage boxes and in this case, various purposes, for books, precious objects and games, or in this case, as a probable apothecary cabinet. For examples with different interior construction, see Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Nicholas Grindley and Anita Christi. CHINESE FURNITURE. One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection (New York, 1996), Vol II, nos. 65 and 66, pp. 130-133; Curtis Evarts. Liang Yi Collection. Huanghuali (Hong Kong, United Sky Resources Limited, 2007), no. 63, page 158, and Gustav Ecke. Chinese Domestic Furniture. (Rutland, Vermont, Charles E. Tuttle Company. 1962) p. 135, no. 107, the last built with the same interior as the present lot. See also Christie's, 7 October 2020, lot 431, for a traveling bookcase of large size.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y
Y Prospective buyers should pay special attention to the 'Notice Regarding Regulated Species Materials and CITES Permits' published in the printed catalog. This information is also available by contacting the salesroom.

Interior center compartment may be later adapted with a pair of doors; some drawer fronts may be later additions. Missing portage hardware to the center back top.