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Expert’s note: The present lot is a particularly fine and rare example of the er’rendeng form, distinguished by its wood-panel seat in place of the more commonly encountered woven-mat surface. The broad central panel is set as a floating element within the surrounding mitered frame, an ingenious construction that permits the timber to expand and contract naturally with changes in humidity while preserving the bench’s precise geometry. Beyond its technical refinement, this method allows the seat to serve as an uninterrupted field upon which the exceptional beauty of the wood may be fully appreciated. The panels were selected for their remarkably animated grain, with long, fluid lines gathering around richly figured whorls and dark, eye-like knots—the prized markings often described by connoisseurs as ‘ghost faces’ or ‘ghost eyes’. Shifting from warm amber and golden brown to deeper reddish tones, the surface possesses an extraordinary sense of depth and movement. The restrained architecture of the bench provides an ideal counterpoint to this dramatic natural figuring, achieving the characteristic harmony of material, construction, and proportion that distinguishes the finest examples of classical Chinese furniture.
China, 17th-18th century. The two-panel top of good figuring with distinctive 'ghost-face' whorls. Set within a wide rectangular frame with a thumb-grooved edge, supported on a narrow waist above a straight apron, raised on elegant square-section legs terminating in hoof feet and joined by humpback stretchers with hidden tenons.
Provenance: From an important Dutch private collector and connoisseur of Chinese art, acquired before 1955 and thence by descent in the family. The collector assembled his collection during an extended period of residence in China, acquiring works with a discerning and scholarly eye before returning to the Netherlands in 1954. Preserved in its entirety within the same family thereafter, the collection was distinguished by its remarkable breadth and scholarly character, encompassing imperial porcelain, bronzes, furniture, silk robes, jade, books, and scrolls. No object from the collection, including the present lot, had appeared on the market prior to its dispersal in 2026.
Condition: Excellent condition with minimal wear, manufacturing irregularities, few light scratches. Fine grain and magnificent, naturally grown patina overall.
Weight: 9.7 kg
Dimensions: Size 47 x 100.5 x 41 cm
The er’rendeng, literally ‘two-person bench’, belongs to the broader family of elongated stools that emerged as raised seating became firmly established in the Chinese domestic interior. Although its essential form was already known by the Song and Yuan dynasties, the bench attained its most refined expression during the Ming and early Qing periods, when the clarity of its construction and harmonious proportions made it particularly well suited to the richly figured hardwoods prized by scholar-official society, not least as their sturdy construction allowed them to function for the display of small, treasured objects.
Traditional terminology classifies benches primarily according to their dimensions and intended capacity. A bench designed to accommodate two sitters was known as an er’rendeng, while longer and narrower examples were termed tiaodeng and especially large benches chundeng, or ‘spring benches’. The form is recorded in the fifteenth-century Lu Ban jing, the influential carpenter’s manual that supplied prescribed dimensions and constructional guidance for a wide range of domestic furniture.
Benches were among the most versatile furnishings of the traditional Chinese household. They could be arranged around a table, placed against a wall or beneath a window, used in entrance halls and commercial premises, or employed as convenient platforms for objects and domestic activities. Their restrained architecture offered little opportunity to disguise poor proportion or workmanship. The success of the form therefore depended upon the precise relationship between seat, frame, legs, and stretchers, as well as the quality of the joinery.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 3 November 2021, lot 190
Price: GBP 20,160 or approx. EUR 30,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare huanghuali bench, Qing dynasty, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form with similar floating panel, straight apron, humpback stretchers, and squared corner legs terminating in low hoof feet. Note the size (51.4 x 31.1 x 129.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 19 March 2007, lot 310
Price: USD 31,200 or approx. EUR 44,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A huanghuali waisted low bench with corner legs, late Ming/early Qing dynasty, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form with similar straight apron, humpback stretchers, and squared corner legs terminating in low hoof feet. Note this bench has a solid-board top as opposed to the floating panel top of the present lot.
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