|
I have enjoyed reading a large number of books to further my understanding of Chinese antiques. From time to time I will share some of my favorites. If you have even a passing interest in learning more about Chinese antiques, I'm sure you will find these books to be both worthwhile and fascinating.
|
|
by Wang Shixiang - two volumes boxed set published by Art Media
Resources, Ltd, 1990
Wang Sixiang is the foremost authority on Ming and Qing
furniture in the world. His two volume set is an indispensible
reference for all serious students of Chinese furniture. Why, one
might ask, would a collector of soft wood Chinese furniture such as
Northern elm or cypress used by the "average Joe" be interested in
a book of much earlier furniture? The reason, of course, is the
constancy of...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Curtis Evarts. Three volume set published by United Sky
Resources Limited, 2007
This three volume set is based upon the Liang Yi Collection
housed in a museum in Hong Kong. Nothing in the texts
provides any historical background on who, how, and why the
collection was assembled. It assumes common knowledge, even
though that knowledge is not common--at least to me.
These books, whose text is written in both English and Chinese,
are divided into three...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Ronald G. Knapp, 1999, University of Hawai'i Press
I read all I can about Chinese Antique Furniture. The title of
this book implies only a tangential relation to Chinese furniture.
Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. If forced to
prune my reference library down to bare bones, this book would be
among the last to go. To make myself clear, let me say that this
book is absolutely fundamental to my library.
Why do I say that? It is because much Chinese...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Ma Weidu, China Architecture and Building Press
Ever since I saw big doors displayed for the first time, it has
been love at first sight. Those familiar with the videos on doors
and windows will already have seen some handsome examples. The
doors in the video came from Shanxi province, likewise most of the
windows. Mr. Ma has collected examples from many other provinces as
well.
The first thing you will note about this magnificent book is its
size. 15" long, 10 1/2"
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Privately Published New York, 1996
These books (a two volume set) deal with furniture acquired by
the Hungs with the assistance of Robert H. Ellsworth. Mr. Ellsworth
is one of the world's foremost non-Chinese experts in Ming and
early Qing furniture. These books contain examples of virtually all
the forms of classical Chinese furniture. The photographs are
superb, and convey each object's beauty; the text specifies the
technical details of construction and carved symbolism. The
text...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Wang Shixiang, Art Media Resources, Ltd, 1991
This book is separated into three parts: the first part
discusses the various types of furniture forms and their origin,
and woods used in classical furniture. The second and much longer
part of the book illustrates various furniture forms. The
illustrations are in color and depict some of the finest Chinese
furniture ever made. The third part consists of comments about the
furniture pictured in the second part. Although there are...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Curtis Evarts, Published by C. L. Ma Furniture, Hong Kong
1999
I love this book! I love it as it contains three insights that I
have not seen elsewhere. First, Ming and Qing furniture were made
with woods other than the well known huanghuali, zitan, and chicken
wing woods, which are considered "hardwood" in China. Second, there
is a difference between the Chinese and Western definitions of
"hardwood" and "softwood." "...Western vernacular, wherein
"softwood" implies soft...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Michael Meyer, published by Walker and Company, New York
copyright 2008
While exhibiting at the Marion, Massachusetts Antique Show, and
also at the Vermont Antique Dealers Association Show in August,
2009, I realized that everything displayed on my walls had been
taken from destroyed houses. I had window frames, doors, exquisite
wooden carvings, pole signs, and presentation signs, all of which
came from destroyed houses. Looking at what I had hanging in my
displays became...
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|