1. An Eminent Writer's Seat
Estimate £10,000–£20,000 Sold £73,080
A sedan chair, used to transport a celebrated early 17th-century Chinese writer, sold for a top price at Woolley & Wallis. It is a perfect example of how a rare and somewhat quirky piece of furniture can quickly gain currency among rival bidders. As a mode of transport, the jianyu (sedan chair in Chinese parlance) was commonly used by emperors, princes and nobles to move between the great palaces.
This 400-year-old antique is a rare survivor, as most shi, which has a rattan seat and open-framed footrest, belonged to the well-born historian and writer Zhang Dai (1597–1624), who was active during the Ming dynasty, but never served at the Ming court because he didn't pass his Imperial exams.
