Rare 18th Century Oxidized Elm Theater Bench

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Description

A single thick plank of elm runs nearly ten feet, rising to a pierced and carved back where six openwork … Read more A single thick plank of elm runs nearly ten feet, rising to a pierced and carved back where six openwork panels, each centered on a small carved rosette, sit beneath a row of scrolled medallions. This antique Chinese elm theater bench was made in Shanxi province in the 18th century to seat an entire row of an audience at once. Benches of this scale were built for opera theaters and teahouses, where carved backs and sturdy plank seats had to hold up to crowds and years of use.

Carved scroll legs end in curled feet, and a scalloped apron with scrolling relief runs beneath the seat. At 114 inches wide, it can span a long wall, run beneath a window or line one side of a dining table. It also works as a long display shelf for books, ceramics and plants.

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