By Glen Joffe

	由Ironwood制成的具有帝国云设计的经典翼祭坛；第18 c。ID。＃F0304-143

古董中国家具可以松散地分为两个广泛的类别：古典和白话。从历史上看，古典作品是由经常进口的硬木制成的，由帝国家庭成员，官员，学者和与帝国法院相关的人委托。像中国文化中其他珍贵的艺术品一样，古典家具强调了木材，Zitan，Hongmu或Rosewood，Iron Wood和Jichimu或Jichimu或Chicken Wing Wood等木材的自然美景。那些树林被打蜡或漆成漆，因此可以看到和欣赏优雅的木颗粒。并确定了木头。在古典家具界，木材和地位有联系。他们仍然是。然而，在描述古典古董中国家具时，风格和外观不可忽视。经典作品在明显的（1368-1644 AD）和清朝（1645-1911）的设计上是严峻的或最少的。好像是为了反映典范学者官员的节俭，朴实的生活方式。 During the Qing dynasty, furniture designs became more elaborate with intricate carvings, fine detailing, and ultimately, the use of pigmented lacquer to provide color, which is one of the common characteristics of the second category of antique Chinese furniture, vernacular furniture.

Vernacular or "lacquered and painted" Cabinet with 2 Drawers & 2 Doors made from elmwood; 19th C.; I.D. #F0404-304

与中国古典家具相比，白话家具鲜为人知。实际上，直到1990年代中期，即使在中国文学中，这个词也不存在。但是，在过去的二十年中，该类别在全球收藏家中获得了极大的赞赏。白话家具是指在帝国法院使用土著树林的“影响力”之外使用的作品。尽管这些木材通常被称为“软木”，但该术语可能会产生误导性，因为它们包括胡桃木，榆树和橡木，它们非常耐用，“半硬木和用于家具制造的杰出木材。这些树林比进口的硬木不那么欣赏，并且经常被精心涂漆和涂色，以增强其吸引力。在原始版本中，我们将“漆和彩绘家具”短语与白话家具互换使用，因为它是对此类别的恰当描述。然而，这并不意味着白话家具并不是地位的象征。通常，这是由富有的商人或退休官员委托的家具，他们返回其国家庄园，但并不受帝国法院施加的传统（真实或想象中的）的约束。经常以古典家具为模型，白话家具最终被古典家具的朴实美学所束缚，因为白话的工匠行使了极大的创造性自由。 From conservative elegance to lavishly lacquered pieces, the vernacular category has become an important and compelling category of antique Chinese furniture.

	从单个花岗岩雕刻的石祭坛桌，以古典滚动形式的样式雕刻；ID。＃F1509-001

一个古董中国家具的一个子类别包括木材以外的其他材料，值得一提。尽管明王朝和清朝的许多设计都有石头组成部分，并利用了半宝石的镶嵌物，例如贾斯珀，拉皮斯·拉泽利（Jasper Lazuli），最重要的是翡翠（Jade）。最终，整个作品都是用石头生产和重新想象的。花岗岩，石灰石和大理石都是雕刻成完整碎片的材料，改变了建筑技术和风格，以补偿使用石材的使用。与木材不同，在内部和外部都使用了石材家具，该木材用于内部用途。

350 year old classical stone Altar Bench is held together by gravity rather than traditional joinery; I.D. #F1509-002

It can be argued, the golden age of Chinese furniture making came to an end with the decline of the Qing dynasty. This dynasty produced some of the finest examples of antique Chinese furniture. Many of the pieces from this time were innovative in nature, yet still adhered to traditional forms and designs passed down through hundreds of years. However, during the Cultural Revolution, which lasted from 1966-1976, a great deal of antique Chinese furniture, both classical and vernacular, was confiscated – and in many cases destroyed – by the government for representing the bourgeoisie class. Please click here for the related blog,现在您看到了，现在您没有 - 古董中国家具的消失for an in-depth look at the fate of a great deal of antique Chinese furniture. When the surviving pieces were released years later, they were scattered across the country with no regard to original ownership. These eventually appeared as a flood on the international market in the 1980s, 90s and into the 2000s, but in recent years the availability of original pieces has been reduced to a mere trickle. This disappearance can be attributed to several factors including the West's enthusiasm for antique Chinese furniture as well as China's desire to buy back and reclaim their heritage. As a result, antique Chinese furniture today has become a rare and valuable category of collectibles.