Dragon pattern is one of the main decorations on Ming and Qing furniture, and the different forms of dragon pattern carvings on Ming and Qing furniture are classified into three categories: "three stops and nine similarities", bat dragons and diamond dragons. ——Qu Feng, "Types and Techniques of Dragon Pattern Carving on Ming and Qing Dynasty Furniture", Palace Museum
preface
Not long ago, Mr. Ma Weidu posted a video of himself visiting the Panjiayuan Antique Market on his personal short video platform, in which Ma Lao himself said that he rarely visited Panjiayuan now. In the 1980s and 1990s, the antique market in Panjiayuan was very lively, and many people found treasures in Panjiayuan.
Beijing Chaoyang grandpa retired and fell in love with antique collecting
As an authentic Beijinger, Uncle Zhang was an ordinary worker in a textile factory before he retired, and when he went to work, he was conscientious and had no special hobbies. In the 1980s, Uncle Zhang reached retirement age and, like other old workers in the factory, chose to retire honorably.
After retirement, Uncle Zhang had more leisure time, and slowly under the leadership of friends, Uncle Zhang liked antique collections and often went to Panjiayuan or Liuli Factory to hang out. However, Uncle Zhang is very restrained, he rarely buys things when he goes to Panjiayuan, basically watching others bargain and learning some antique knowledge by the way.
Waste station "picked up" 2 broken chairs
At that time, in addition to places like Panjiayuan, many people could also find "old objects" in the waste collection station. In addition to going to Panjiayuan, Uncle Zhang also sometimes went to the waste station, once he passed a waste station, and saw someone pulling a cart of "waste" to sell, there were scrap books on the car, and some wooden worn-out furniture.
Two of the chairs successfully attracted the attention of Uncle Zhang, not because Uncle Zhang knew the goods, but Uncle Zhang felt that the material of these two wooden chairs was quite good. Although it is already a little worn, and some places have been scattered, the two and the overall structure are still quite complete. Uncle Zhang thought that he could add some furniture to the house after repairing it, and if it was not repaired, it would be good to burn firewood, so he took away the two chairs at a very low price.
29 years later, it sold 23 million "sky-high price"
After the chair was taken home, Uncle Zhang's wife also complained that Uncle Zhang had collected the "rags" and returned, repaired it and placed it at home, and the family now burned coal, and there was no place to burn when the firewood was burned. However, Uncle Zhang did not think so, after taking out the tools and tossing, these two chairs really let him repair, this chair has a dragon pattern carving, and the back of the chair and the front end of the armrest are out of the head, this kind of chair is very common in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, is the knowledgeable people often say "official hat chair".
The two chairs were not used after repairing, and they were kept in the infrequent corners of the home until Lao Zhang's grandson got married and wanted to buy a new house in Beijing. The family are worried about the money to buy a house, Lao Zhang can not help but be anxious, he told a few old friends about the grandson to buy a house, when someone joked that the chair that Lao Zhang picked up was very valuable if it was an antique, he could buy a house for his grandson when he sold it.
Others are joking but Lao Zhang heard the heart, go home and let his son find someone to identify these two chairs, Lao Zhang's son did not pay attention to it, but he could not stand his father's urging, and finally took a photo and sent it to Beijing Guardian International Auction Company. Unexpectedly, it was quickly replied, there were experts to come to the door for identification, after expert identification of these two "broken chairs" are the end of the Ming Dynasty, the material of the yellow pear, the scientific name is "carved dragon pattern four-headed official hat chair", and after repair in an auction auction auctioned 23 million "sky-high price".
summary
Uncle Zhang did not expect that the broken chair he "picked up" at the accessories station at that time actually sold such a high price, and really let him "pick up leaks". In fact, the "carved dragon pattern four-headed official hat chair" can be auctioned at such a high price, which is related to the "Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture" fever in the collection circle at that time, and this price is definitely a special case.
【References】Dragon Pattern Carving Types and Techniques on Ming and Qing Dynasty Furniture
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