Antique Chinese Wedding/Opium Bed
It is a large wedding bed on a platform with a small entryway for an attendant. It is 10 ft in height, and 116" x 87" in diameter. It is currently disassembled and stored in my office, so I do not have a photo of it put together. It also includes a wash basin stand (this is the most damaged piece, although I have the pieces that broke off), a bowl, a small chair (that the attendant to the couple would have used), and two gargoyles.
I bought it about fifteen years ago from Brown-Kobayashi (a dealer) located in Wailuku, Maui. It has been in climate controlled storage ever since, and is in really good condition considering it's an antique. There is one area with nicks from a move, and one five inch area where a piece has fallen off (I have the piece).
Gallery/Dealer
Yes
Thank you for submitting your item for appraisal. This appears to be a chinese wedding bed of the late 19th century, together with a chair an a quite spectacular wash stand. The carving shows chinese characters in open fretwork carving, e.g. for Long life and for double happiness, plus 進廣源財.
Judging from the porcelain bowl and the carving, the wedding bed was made at the end of the 19th century. Currently a larger number of wedding beds are available at auctions, due to the modernisation of China and the demolition of older cities. The estimate is based on recent auction results. Within a few years the supply will cease and the prices for wedding beds will go up.
