Customer Reviews

Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties

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4 star:		(2)
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I have read this book over and over again. Being in the Antique Furnitue business, it has helped me with all my favorite collections. I have met Mr. Wangshi Xiang before, and I do respect and appreciate his hard work for studying the topic for almost 40 years. It is my belief that this book has reinforced the wave of collection of Chinese Antique Furniture. It is really sad that there are more authentic and rare pieces despered overseas than in China now.

I first came to classical Chinese furniture through the work of Gustav Ecke, who photographed Ming and early Qing pieces in the 1930's, about the time that George Kates was living his "fat" years in Peking. As a furniture builder I was fascinated by the incredible sophistication of the genre and also by the inexplicable abilities of the cabinet makers of the time. But looking at these pieces through Ecke's work is a pale experience compared to looking at it through that of Dr. Wang. Here is a Chinese scholar, working all his life in China, having access to the most beautiful extant pieces and in possession of the taste and technical skill to select and showcase the best of the best. My copy of this work is always at hand, and whenever I plan to build a new piece it is this one I pick up first. Dr. Wang's understanding of not only the aesthetics, but also the technical details is communicated to the reader in the clearest and most pleasing way imaginable.

I visited the "Red Sandalwood Museum" which is near the classical furniture district in Beijing recently. The first thing one sees is a placard with the face and words of Dr. Wang. His imprimatur assures the visitor that these walls hold value (as indeed they do.) This book is not only fascinating and educational, but beautiful. It's expensive, but well worth the money.

Classic Chinese Furniture has wonderful illustrations and goes into introductions of the furniture any layman can understand. Mr. Wang has given many details to the reader so that a better understanding, what to look for and and how to judge the quality of a piece can be learned. Pen drawings of the pieces help to illustrate the different parts and clearly show the reader how the piece is put together. I travel to China often and purchased this book in Shanghai. It was more expensive in the bookstore in China than what Amazon charges...

This is a strong overview of classic Chinese hardwood furniture. This is not the standard kind of furniture found in stores selling Chinese furniture. These hardwood pieces often sell for USD10,000 and above. However, the designs are often replicated with cheaper softwood furniture(like elm) so the book can still be of value to you.

The book presents museum quality pieces, but the book won't really help you with buying furniture (be it softwood replicas or original pieces), but then again I don't think any book deals with that topic. It would have been nice with sections on construction, typical fakes, etc.

For a more easy-going book, also focusing on less elitist furniture, check out Chinese Furniture: A Guide to Collecting Antiques.

If you truly appreciate antique Chinese furniture for its grace and beauty, but like me, you can't afford a zitan Southern official chair or huanghuali opium day bed, Wang Shixiang's book, with loads of gorgeous photographs, is the next best thing to owning the actual pieces. More a coffee table book, than a reference book for antique buyers. Still, it's one of the best books around on Chinese antique furniture.

Truly beautiful coffee table book, with plenty of photos of Chinese furniture. A must-have for anyone who loves Chinese furniture. A bargain at the [low] price!