第四类：重要宫廷古典家具 明末金星小叶紫檀镶大理石面高束腰三弯六足海棠式香几

THE FOURTH CATALOG: IMPORTANT PALACE FURNITURES :

RARE LATE MING S-SHAPED SIX FEET INCENSE TABLE MADE OF VENUS PTEROCARPOS SANTALINUS (ZITAN) WITH A MARBLE TOP AND MALUS STYLE

正在写作中，， still in writing

图一 Fig. 1

这是一件典型的金星小叶紫檀明末清初宫廷家具，其简明的圆润浅浮雕工艺更体现明代工艺。高束腰六足三弯腿香几在宋代已经流行（见图十一），明代的香几基本延续宋元家具，以软木漆器为主。黄花梨和紫檀宫廷家具只是到了明晚期才逐步采用，这是历史事实。这件香几尤其突出明代紫檀宫廷家具的简明圆润浮雕，与清代紫檀宫廷家具繁琐精雕细琢截然不同。与故宫明代紫檀宝座和紫檀木枕雕刻风格十分相近（见图十五）。

这件紫檀香几保存完好、包浆自然老化，其金星小叶紫檀特征淋漓尽致，这种高腰束三弯六足造型的明末金星小叶紫檀大理石面香几目前仅此一件，十分难得。其实，其可与故宫那件国宝明晚期黄花梨六足香几相媲美（图十二），一件是黄花梨，一件是金星小叶紫檀，二者都是孤品，都属于明末宫廷家具, 而且一般都是成对。

这件紫檀香几什么时候流出海外不得而知，原卖家也只认为是一件普通硬木花台。只是自己亲自看到局部特征才确认是非常难得的金星小叶紫檀宫廷家具。

This is a typical palace furniture made of Venus Pterocarpus Santalinus during late Ming dynasties. Obviously, the simple and rounded bas-relief represented the technics in Ming furniture. The incense table with high waist six S-curved feet were popular during Song dynasty(see Fig. 11). Basically, The Ming incense tables were continued from Song Dynasty and the lacquer furniture were dominated. Historically, the palace furniture made of Dalbergia Odorifera and Pterocarpus Santalinus were started during late Ming dynasty. This incense table is sharply different from Qing furniture of Pterocarpus Santalinus because of its typical simple and rounded bas-relief technics that are so similar to the Ming furniture of Pterocarpus Santalinus in Forbidden City (see Fig. 15).

This incense table is still in very good condition with its nature color and patina. Its typical features of Venus Pterocarpus Santalinus are shown clearly and it is the only one found with such pattern of incense table made of Venus Pterocarpus Santulinus from late Ming dynasty, absolutely rare. It is capable of comparing with the one (Fig. 12, the Chinese treasure) made of Delbergia Odorifera in Forbidden City and both were only one survived (normally should be a pair of each).

图二 Fig. 2

图三 Fig. 3

图四 Fig. 4 典型的金星小叶紫檀。

图五 Fig. 5

图六 Fig.6

图七 Fig. 7

f 图八 Fig.8

图九 Fig. 9 尽显金星和牛毛纹

图十 Fig.10

图十一 Fig.11

图十二 Fig. 12 from Forbidden City

图十三 Fig 13 from Forbidden City

图十四 Fig. 14 from Forbidden City

图十五 Fig. 15

把故宫非常稀少的两件紫檀家具放在一起对比。虽然不是一样的的紫檀家具，但都体现明晚期宫廷紫檀家具共同特点，即非常圆润、简明的浅浮雕，与清代繁琐精细的雕刻形成鲜明对比， 因此断为明末是很客观的。仔细观看，底座为海棠造型，向上向两侧延申的浅浮雕卷纹非常优美，而且仅仅出现在这件紫檀香几上。三弯足底也是 简明圆润的浅浮雕体现海棠花和叶瓣，尽显明末宫廷紫檀家具的时代特征。

Comparing with the extremely rare Ming furniture of Pterocarpus Santalinus in Forbidden City, they are absolutely so coincidence of the same carving technics that is simple and rounded shallow bas-relief even on different furniture samples. It is sharply different from Qing furniture of Pterocarpus Santalinus in Forbidden City and it is reasonable to identify it as a Late Ming incense table.