The international market for antique Chinese furniture is booming, and masterpieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties are now worth hundreds of thousands. "Chinese Furniture" is a survey of these collectibles - from the very best hardwood pieces featured to standard softwood specimens still available on the Asian market. The book presents an overview of carving styles, wood types, regional variations, class distinctions and restoration techniques. With this renewed interest in antique furniture, a forgery market has emerged. Thousands of factories in southern China are churning out brand new or refurbished furniture and passing them off as antiques. "Chinese Furniture" unearths these forgeries and serves as an indispensable reference guide to collectors.

About the Author

Karen Mazurkewich is an Asian Wall Street Journal reporter who has covered Asian culture and the retail scene for three years from her base in Hong Kong. Mazurkewich has investigated art forgery, interviewed countless collectors, grilled innovative businessmen and queried tradesmen--all in a quest to better understand antiques and manufacturing in Asia.

Reviews

"[Chinese Furniture] shows authentic classics from beds to household accessories, with advice on how pieces were constructed. There is a section on fakes, but identification and knowing authentic ancient to modern looks is the point of this book."--"The Smart Collector"