Monumental Black Connection Chest

A monumental 9 feet 8 inches solid wood sideboard from early 19th century. The top is made of solid boards in 2.5" thickness. Immediately under the top are 6 large drawers with carved "tiger's mouth" facade. A substantial stretcher divides the top and the main section of the sideboard which consists 3 pairs of doors behind each a deep storage chamber and a secret compartment. The doors are set in frameworks carved with a beveled style, echoing the top and stretchers. A vertical slider panel, carved with the repetition of the tiger-mouth pattern, covers the secret supplementary space. Below the main section two additional stretchers further support the weight and scale of the sideboard before continuing down to 3 sets of aprons. The construction is tenon and mortise which ensures the structural stability and longevity of this large sideboard. Bold and powerful in style, heavy and substantial with minimum decorations, this extraordinary piece is the epitome of vernacular antique furniture from Northern China.