We love the stature and understated elegance in this matched pair, especially the smooth flowing lines. What further sets these apart from others available is the high quality of wood, workmanship, the precision of proportions, design details and finish. The Southern Official’s Hat armchair differs from the ‘Official’s Hat’ armchair in that its crestrails continue into the rear uprights as opposed to extending beyond them. The elegant continuous line of the crestrail joining the rear upright posts is achieved with a rounded, right-angle joint called a ‘pipe-joint,’ which is again used to join the curved arms to the front upright posts. These chairs are a classic style from the Ming dynasty and represent a symbol of status and authority. Huanghuali, known by its scientific name as Dalbergia odorifera, is a Chinese rosewood. This prized old huanghuali wood has a warm, medium-brown tone with a smooth, polished finish, showing natural grain and slight wear, indicative of age and use. The back features a central panel with an intricately carved relief depicting a traditional scene of a scholar with assistant in a landscape of cypress trees and mountains, a common motif in Chinese furniture symbolizing longevity and wisdom. The armrests are supported by gracefully curved arms that extend from the crest rail, and the seat is woven with rattan, for comfort and breathability. The frame includes straight, sturdy legs with carved apron details featuring scroll patterns, and a simple stretcher at the base for structural support. As an artist from the region, we were extremely selective in the items we chose to collect - only the most distinctive pieces with an authentic and timeless design sensibility. These were bought in Hong Kong at a reputable Antiques dealer while living there in the ‘90’s, shipped to the U.S. by top international movers in 2003 and kept in temperature controlled storage ever since.