5 classical Chinese furniture pieces from the Utterberg collection fetch US$4.26m at Bonhams New York

Currently one of the most sought-after categories of Chinese works of art, Ming-style huanghuali furniture is beloved worldwide for its technical genius, subtle grace, and an astoundingly contemporary minimalistic aesthetic that fits into any modern interior space. 

During this Asia Week New York, Bonhams brought to the market a collection of five pieces of Ming huanghuali furniture from David S. and Nayda Utterberg, a respected couple in the field of medical device innovation. Each item, with impeccable provenance, once graced their elegant residence in Seattle. 

Exemplifying Chinese classical furniture's timeless appeal, eventually all five lots were fiercely pursued by collectors at Bonhams's Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale on 16 September, achieving US$4.26 million in total against a pre-sale low estimate of US$950,000.

Two pieces, in particular, reached more than four times their low estimates and crossed the US$1 million mark: a large waisted corner-leg table with giant's arm braces, which is the only known example of its kind with drawers, and a rare three-shelf bookcase with drawers. 


David S. and Nayda Utterberg's home


David S. and Nayda Utterberg


David S. Utterberg was a revolutionary innovator – an inquisitive perfectionist who challenged existing norms in the field of blood treatment and safety medical devices. His relentless pursuit of excellence in his professional life was reflected in his and his wife Nayda's passionate search for masterworks in the field of Asian art. 

As world travelers, the couple was intoxicated by art and culture from many civilizations. Nayda recalled, "Wherever we traveled, we would walk for miles exploring cities, buildings, shops, and museums. David and I would say we were observing and training our eyes to spot excellent design."

His first encounter with Asian art took place in Japan during his work tenure in Toyko in the mid-70s. He visited galleries and museums, and while not able to afford what he wanted at the time, he marked it as something he would attain in the future – and he did.

According to Nayda, "David would seldom buy an object on the spot, and rarely relied upon scholars for advice, when together we purchased a work of art. He developed a brilliant eye, and great confidence in his taste through relentless study. We loved to spend our evenings together looking through books in our extensive library before making a final purchasing decision. He wouldn't settle for less than the best."


David S. and Nayda Utterberg's home


Entering their elegant home, visitors step into another world of refinement of serenity, where modern and ancient art are blended in equal measure. Art Deco and French modern design shared interior spaces with the startlingly "modern" aesthetic of the 17th-century Chinese cabinet makers, which with little in the way of superfluous ornament, greatly appealed to the couple. 

An "art room", in particular, was built to house their outstanding collection of Ming huanghuali furniture. Each item was carefully selected from leading dealers in the field, such as "Queen of Huanghuali" Grace Wu Bruce and "Godfather of Chinese Antiques" Giuseppe Eskenazi, for its tailored lines, richly figured grain, and superb craftsmanship.

With meticulous design enhancing each piece of furniture's stunning line and silhouette, this room, or gallery, became a sanctuary for the couple's private contemplation and enjoyment. As a master craftsman in his own work, David would walk around with plastic elements of his next invention in his pocket, turning his fingers over the small surfaces until he found the perfect form and solution to his products. In his inventions and patents, he would seek simplicity and minimalism, like the Ming furniture he and Nayda purchased together. 

David passed away in 2019 aged 73. He was a long-time member of the board for the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, and the Board of Trustees of the Seattle Art Museum (1995-2001). They gave the latter the library, with a gallery eponymously named. It is his wish to auction his exceptional collection, giving new collectors a chance to own them and appreciate them in the comfort and privacy of their homes. 




Lot 5 | A rare huanghuali waisted corner-leg table with giant's arm braces and drawers, tiaozhuo
17th century
82 x 196.2 x 59.1 cm
Provenance:

  • Grace Wu Bruce Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, 26 March 1997
  • The David S. and Nayda Utterbeg Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture

Estimate: US$300,000 - 500,000
Hammer Price: US$1,300,000
Sold: US$1,633,500


Ming-style furniture is known for combining advanced engineering with a minimalist aesthetic, which embodies the ancient Chinese's scholarly taste. With simple lines and curves that favor elegance over extravagance, the furniture is held together with an ingenious, hidden joinery system that employs a seamless miter, mortise, and tenon construction.

The use of the precious, now-extinct huanghuali on furniture became available during the mid-Ming dynasty, when China opened its borders and lifted bans on foreign trade. As a variety of luxury and exotic goods became accessible in China, literati and scholars found themselves drawn to this timber, a natural wonder with intrinsic decorative patterns. 

A member of the rosewood family, huanghuali has a translucent shimmering surface with a richly grained surface that delights the eye, its rich hues varying from reddish-brown to honey tones. It is also very durable, and impermeable to water and insects, making it an ideal material to withstand the physical demands of the tenon-mortice construction of Chinese furniture. 


The underside of the top panel was originally black lacquered


In classical Chinese furniture, tables are generally divided into three types: those with legs at the four corners, those with recessed legs, and stands of varying heights. The taller varieties are designed to rest directly on the ground, while the shorter ones are typically placed on beds and couches. Unlike recessed-leg tables that shorten the span and distribute the top's weight, corner-leg tables are seldom made excessively long as they are prone to warping when extended to a certain length. 

Measuring nearly two meters long, this huanghuali corner-leg table is of an impressive size rarely crafted – and it is so far the only known example of its kind with drawers. The large single-board top panel, displaying a vigorous and beautifully mellow grain, likely comes from an exceptionally massive timber, necessitating a proportionally wider top frame than usual to accommodate the panel's size. 

The underside of the top panel was originally black lacquered, a finishing technique frequently seen in furniture pieces from Suzhou, then a center for scholarship and arts. To address the typical instability of high-waisted constructions, giant's arm braces – S-shaped braces that link the inside edge of the legs to the transverse stretchers at the end – are incorporated. Thanks to their curved design and corner positioning, these braces effectively connect the tabletop to the legs without impeding legroom.  




Lot 2 | A fine and rare huanghuali three-shelf bookcase with drawers, jiage
17th century
191.3 x 111.2 x 41.6 cm
Provenance:

  • Grace Wu Bruce Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, 18 September 1991
  • The David S. and Nayda Utterbeg Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture

Estimate: US$200,000 - 300,000
Hammer Price: US$900,000

Sold: US$1,143,500


Due to the delicate design of Ming bookcases featuring slim frame members, few of them have survived, and the present lot is one of the largest extant ones crafted from the precious huanghuali hardwood. 

Intended for both display and storage purposes, this three-shelf bookcase features four straight square-section posts and an open design, a typical Ming style. While it is more common to find bookcases with two drawers under the second shelf, it contains a three-drawer unit, which is wider in size and ideally positioned at chest height for ease of use. 

Constructed with flush right angles, the open design embraces an aesthetic of austerity, at the same time ensuring that volumes or objects placed on the shelves are easily accessible from either side. As depicted in several Ming dynasty woodblock illustrations, this feature is particularly advantageous when the bookcases are arranged in rows to serve as space dividers in a studio. 


Other lots from the David S. and Nayda Utterberg Collection: 


Lot 4 | A fine and rare huanghuali tapered low cabinet
17th century 
116.8 x 84.5 x 43.2 cm
Provenance:

  • Grace Wu Bruce Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, 1990
  • Collection of The Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Renaissance, California
  • Christie's, New York, Important Chinese Furniture: Formerly The Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture Collection, 19 September 1996, lot 12
  • The David S. and Nayda Utterbeg Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture

Estimate: US$200,000 - 300,000
Hammer Price: US$780,000

Sold: US$991,100



Lot 1 | A fine huanghuali round-corner tapered cabinet, yuanjiaogui
17th century
155.8 x 88.6 x 44.2 cm
Provenance:

  • Eskenazi Ltd., London, 9 June 1990
  • The David S. and Nayda Utterbeg Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture

Estimate: US$150,000 - 250,000
Hammer Price: US$220,000
Sold: US$279,900


 
Lot 3 | A fine and rare huamu burlwood-inset huanghuali recessed-leg wine table, jiuzhuo
17th century
82.3 x 95.2 x 38.7 cm
Provenance:

  • Grace Wu Bruce Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, 18 September 1991
  • The David S. and Nayda Utterbeg Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture

Estimate: US$100,000 - 150,000
Hammer Price: US$170,000
Sold: US$216,400


Auction Details:

Auction House: Bonhams New York
Sale: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Date: 16 September 2024
Number of Lots: 147
Sold: 130
Unsold: 17
Sale Rate: 88.4%
Sale Total: US$7.8 million