Short Backed Southern Officials Hat Armchair – 19th Century

This antique Chinese armchair is from Shanxi. This style of chair is called a Southern officials hat chair or writing chair. They were regularly used by poets, painters & scholars. The style originated in Jiangsu in central China and spread northwards, hence the usage of the term ‘southern’.

They are usually made from elm (yumu) or red elm (jumu), but examples made in walnut are also found in North China. This particular chair is made from walnut with a Northern elm (yumu) seat. Originally it would have been coated with a burgundy lacquer to protect it from wear which has subsequently worn in places of heavy use. 

They were made in pairs and it is very rare to find larger sets however an attractive harlequin set can be made from different pairs.

Hat chairs were usually placed on each side of a wine or tea table and can be seen depicted in ancestor portraits and Chinese pith painting scenes.

Similar examples can be found in many books on Antique Chinese furniture including ‘Chinese Furniture’ by Mazurkewich – Fig 92 & 98.