A HUANGHUALI SINGLE-DRAWER ALTAR COFFER, MENHUCHU

17th/18th century

Footnotes

十七/十八世紀 黃花梨翹頭單屜悶戶櫥

Provenance: Klas E Böök (1909-1980), Sweden, acquired during his service as Swedish Ambassador to Beijing, 1956-1961, and thence by descent

来源： Klas E Böök (1909-1980)，瑞典，在擔任瑞典駐北京大使期間獲得，1956-1961，並由後人保存迄今。

A Swedish diplomat and civil servant, Mr Böök first had a career in banking, that led up to the position of Governor of the Swedish National Bank from 1948 to 1951. His diplomatic career began when he was appointed head of the Commercial Department of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and envoy from 1947 to 1948. He was Minister in Ottawa from 1951 to 1956, Ambassador in Beijing from 1956 to 1961, and also accredited as envoy to Bangkok from 1956 to 1959. Böök was the Swedish Ambassador to New Delhi, India, and also accredited to Colombo and Kathmandu from 1961 to 1965 and in Bern from 1965 to 1972. He had special assignments for the Swedish Foreign Ministry from 1972 to 1975.

Compare with a recessed-leg low table with single drawer, Ming dynasty, of similar form, but made of oak, illustrated in Chinese Furniture: One Hundred and Three Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, pp.88-89. Another two single-drawer coffers are illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol.II, Hong Kong, 1990, E7 and E8. See also another tielimu single-drawer coffer, Ming dynasty, illustrated in The Chuang Family Bequest of Fine Ming and Qing Furniture in the Shanghai Museum, Hong Kong, 1998, no.47.

See a related huanghuali single-drawer alter coffer, dantichu, 18th/19th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1560.