Tibetan Furniture

Most Tibetan furniture was originally produced by monks and used in monasteries to store religious items. The pieces have a uniquely spiritual quality but are usually of a fairly crude construction. Typically, the furniture is painted using beautiful, colorful and meaningfully symbolic decorations such as flaming pears or eternal knots.

Favorite colors included gold, red and green. Fortunately, Tibetan furniture is increasingly being integrated into many different styles of home décor. While you may not want a room full of it, a piece or two can bring color and interest into any room.

19th century Tibetan chest

The piece of furniture featured here demonstrates the simple form of a typical Tibetan chest. It is painted with vegetable-based paint, which has faded to a lovely patina. The sides of the cabinet are typically left plain because they were viewed as unimportant. The piece opens in the front and, as with most Tibetan pieces, the door openings are hidden within the construction. This piece, with its beautiful floral design, typical coloration and adequate storage space, would make a stunning entryway statement but could also be used in a variety of other settings.

I love Tibetan furniture and unfortunately it is becoming more difficult to find good pieces. If you are interested in this or other Tibetan pieces, please visit The Collection at 899 Broadway in Denver. There are several very special pieces on view.

Have you ever heard of Nanwood?

A Brief Look at Woods Used in Antique Chinese Furniture.

China deforested itself centuries ago. Anyone who has been there can tell you that forests are few and far between. The woods used to make furniture in the 18th and 19th centuries were imported from various other South East Asian countries such as Burma and Thailand. Though the woods used to make Chinese furniture are different from woods used in the West, they are grouped into the same two categories; hardwoods and softwoods.

Furniture made from hardwood is typically expensive and valuable. However, pieces constructed from the various softwoods are gaining recognition and increasing in value. The only furniture made of hardwood that I occasionally have are pieces constructed from blackwood, sometimes referred to as Chinese ebony which was never indigenous to China. Its name is deceptive as it is not always black. Furniture made from blackwood is becoming rare and prices are rapidly increasing because the Chinese themselves are beginning to appreciate it.

Early 19th century juwood spindle book cabinet

Most of the furniture I import is made from various softwoods such as Juwood, Nanwood, Elmwood, Camphor and Bamboo. These names may seem strange but before long, if you see enough furniture, they will become familiar. (more…)

Altar Table

People are always asking me if it is becoming more difficult to find good quality furniture and is my supplier running out of merchandise? The answer is that while it is certainly becoming harder to find the stunning antiques my clients appreciate, they are still available. The prices are steadily rising, mainly because the Chinese themselves have started to appreciate their own furniture. However, China is a big country. The beautiful vernacular furniture I import is still available, though, I admit, I am often unable to find specific items with certainty on every trip. For example, on my last trip, I could only find one baby-minder while a few years ago, I had my choice of six or eight. Barber stools and wedding baskets are also becoming scarce. Nonetheless, I am confident that I will still be able to obtain outstanding pieces of quality furniture for the foreseeable future. Because this furniture holds its value over time, it is a good investment as well as a source of aesthetic pleasure.

Asian Treasures, Denver, Colorado
Carol Goldstein, Ph.D.

Cbgoldstein8@comcast.net
www.Asiantreasuresonline.com