Pair of Antique Chinese Square Panels in a Honeycomb Pattern

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Small Chinese lattice panels are mostly custom fitted into particular spaces and therefore very few ever came into the marketplace. … Read more Small Chinese lattice panels are mostly custom fitted into particular spaces and therefore very few ever came into the marketplace. If they do, they will be purchased immediately. With the new law banning imports of Chinese antiques and architectural artifacts, they are really rare commodities. Woodcarving by the Chinese artisans is unsurpassed and the techniques and designs vary from region to region. This pair of small lattice panels came from Southeast China, Jiangnan is the general name for this region. It means south of the Yangzi River, in the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. The artisans created designs made of small pieces of wood that were joined together in special joinery. The composition is like a jigsaw, each piece is linked together and attached to the frame by joints. To create this honeycomb pattern, hundreds of pieces were cut from strips of wood, its top surface rounded by sanding and each end was cut in a joint to fit into the other pieces in order to create a three dimensional effect. Notice on the back of the panel the pieces were flat. The wood frames show dovetail joints. Each section of the frame had a double line of beaded edges which lined up perfectly in the miter joinery.
This pair of lattice panels has been cleaned but remnants of the original finish can still be seen. I appreciate the condition they are in - a clear coat of shellac or varnish to preserve the original finish. I am never sure what type of wood was used. I was told the wood is Shanmu, mountain wood, which to me is a generic term. Since China did not experience the Ice Age, hundreds of species of wood survive, making identification difficult. See less