IF their supposedly gaudy designs are stopping you from
buying antique Chinese furniture, think again.
Tomlinson's latest collection
may change your mind.
Starting tomorrow until Sept.
26, the Makati-based
furniture store will feature
antique pieces from the late
Ming to the late Qing
Dynasties (17th to 19th
century).
Annette Ang, daughter of
Tomlinson owner Tan Tien
Chi of Singapore, will kick off the exhibit with a talk on classic
Chinese designs. She'll also introduce participants to furniture
made of huali, a hardwood said to be sturdier than our very
own narra.
''The older the pieces, the less ornate they are,'' says Patricia
Puno, president of Tomlinson Philippines, referring to the
furniture in the collection.
Ming compared with Qing
It was during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) that the Chinese
were said to have finally perfected the art of furniture making.
So instead of intricate designs, furniture makers devoted more
time to quality and construction.
In contrast, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), especially during the
latter part, was marked by a period of modification and outside
influences. Early pieces still hark back to the Ming era, but
succeeding items became more flashy and at times impractical.
''I would like to teach our customers to appreciate antique
Chinese furniture,'' says Puno.
Surprisingly, Puno used to loathe these items herself until she
and her husband lived for five years in Singapore. Like many
Filipinos, she thought Chinese designs were limited to carved
dragons and various ancient characters.
''I got tired of Oriental furniture,'' she recalls. ''To me, anything
Oriental meant porcelain and all the gaudy stuff.''
Thanks to Tomlinson, she soon discovered that Chinese
furniture are durable, practical, versatile and, yes, elegant. Even
before returning to Manila, her mind was made up to open a
Tomlinson branch here.
Harder to find
To prove her point, Puno and Singaporean associate Evonne
Tay showed us several of Tomlinson's featured pieces. Many
were sourced from the Chinese countryside, but some came
from collectors the world over.
''They're getting harder to find as years go by,'' says Tay.
''Demand is still high so we end up sourcing for the best pieces
from collectors outside China.''
Chinese furniture may have crossed borders, but only natives
from the mainland are skilled enough to restore them. For one,
many of these pieces are free from nails and glue. It takes a
seasoned craftsman to take them apart and reassemble them.
Tomlinson's collection consists mostly of various types of
chairs, tables, cabinets, day beds and accent pieces. Several
features stand out: the fine grain of wood, use of transparent
lacquer and, of course, absence of lavish carvings.
A 19th century cabinet, for instance, is so plain save for its
tapered or triangular silhouette which originated during Emperor
Wanli's reign (late Ming period). The particular outline, says
Tay, is hard to make even today.
''Imagine, they had to work using primitive measuring devices,''
Puno explains. ''One false measurement and the entire thing will
crumble.''
Nor did their subdued designs limit their makers' imagination. A
coffer, for instance, has several latches and a concealed drawer
in the middle that was probably used by its former owners to
store treasures.
Don't let its size deceive you. A so-called vendor's stool cum
footrest comes with several compartments to store
anything--from miniature accent pieces to practical shoe
brushes.
Since seals are no longer in fashion, both women have found
various uses for the seal chest. Puno, for instance, has turned
hers into a cosmetics box. The collection also features an
antique document chest and medicine box.
Several pieces are also made of zitan, another hardwood in
purplish black. Two ''head'' chairs that go with a wine table are
said to have been inspired by an unlikely model.
''If you look closely at the chair's extended frame,'' says Tay,
''you will notice a strong resemblance with a Ming official's
headgear.''
Some of these chairs and tables were reserved for members of
royalty and the elite in China's feudal past. But today ordinary
Filipinos can use them with impunity without being banished to
some desolate region.
Filipino collectors, by the way, favor these pieces for their
classic and functional features. And since they come in short
supply, they also give a home an air of exclusivity.
Sure, many of these items cost an emperor's fortune, but Puno
swears they're ideal investment pieces to enhance any home.
And since they're made of hardwood, they won't move at the
slightest change in weather.
''You just wax or oil them every so often,'' says Puno. ''As long
as you shield them from the elements and keep them directly
away from the air conditioner, these pieces are virtually
maintenance-free.''
Of course, they'll last a lifetime, she adds. What makes her so
sure? Well, they've outlasted several rulers and dynasties for
hundreds of years, haven't they?
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