This sideboard in solid pine articulates a utilitarian front of three upper drawers and two lower doors, with ring pulls in wrought iron and panels framed with simple mouldings. Shandong, China, circa 1950.
Shandong province, on the eastern Chinese coast, kept a functional domestic cabinetry through the first half of the 20th century, heir to the Qing repertoire but with less ornamental load than that of Shanxi. These sideboards were placed in kitchens, pantries or secondary rooms for household storage.
The construction is honest and robust: solid pine in structure and fronts, traditional mortise and tenon joinery, floating panels in frames to absorb wood movement. The upper drawers slide on wooden runners and the lower cabinet incorporates an intermediate shelf.
The current finish shows a deep, even walnut tone with natural wear in rubbed areas. The piece keeps no trace of applied paint: the current look is that of stained, aged pine. The original hardware preserves its aged iron patina.
It works exceptionally well in a modern kitchen or pantry as a storage unit, in an entryway as a hall piece with drawers, or in a study as an auxiliary cabinet. Its vertical scale (105 cm tall) makes it compatible with reduced vertical spaces.
Details
- Materials and techniques: Solid pine; wrought iron hardware; mortise and tenon joinery
- Place of origin: Shandong, China
- Period: Late Qing tradition
- Date of manufacture: Circa 1950
- Dimensions: Length 106 cm × Width 41 cm × Height 105 cm
- Condition: Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Original patina.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE
At Amaru Antiques (Barcelona) we select each antique for its history, its craftsmanship and the quiet presence it brings to a contemporary home.
