Y  A rare pair of huanghuali square stools, 17th century, the seating mat set within the square frame above the tall waist and beaded shaped aprons carved with stylized ruyi-heads, the stool raised on four curved legs terminating in ruyi-head feet, all resting on a square base stretcher, 49.5cm high x 66.3cm wide x 52.4cm deep Stools of different shapes have long been an integral part of Chinese furniture tradition and were commonly used both indoors and outdoors. The elegantly curved legs on the current example resemble an elephant trunk or a curved ruyi-sceptre. This type of leg can be found on incense stands of circular form that are very similar in shape but are taller. A huanghuali circular incense stand (88 cm. high) with four legs terminating in ruyi-heads is in the collection of the Chinese Cultural Relic Information Centre, kept at the Prince Gong's Palace, Beijing, is illustrated by Lv Zhangshen, Wooden Art Chinese Furniture Treasures of Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing, 2014, pp 104-105 (fig. 2). Compare with a very similar circular stool sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 Nov 2022, Lot 2896 明17世纪 黄花梨如意云头纹方凳一对 Condition Report: with replaced seating mat wood with general wear and cracks commensurate with age