A mortise and tenon is a type of joint made up of two parts: a tongue-like piece (tenon) that locks into various kinds of secure channels (mortise) adding to the piece’s stability. This technique in China made antique pieces more stable and permanent without using nails or glue and allowed available woods to adapt to Asia’s weather variabilities in temperature and humidity. After long use and weather changes, nailed loosen, so the Chinese substituted tropical woods containing resin and oil like rosewood, sandalwood, ebony, and elm all of which negate the use of glue by denying its adhesive properties. A groove was carved for each frame that offered extra space for the wood to expand and contract during weather changes.
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Chinese artisans devoted as much time and effort to create small accessories like home altar tables as they do with larger pieces. This home altar table is handcrafted with mortise-and-tenon joints, using no nails or glue which made it more stable and longer lasting. The surface blend multiple layers of different colors of blacks and reds…
This small elm cabinet is from Fujian province known for its unique style of highly decorative vernacular furniture. Large and small items were constructed with mortise-and-tenon joinery that made pieces stable, lengthened their life, and allowed woods to adapt to Asia’s variability in humidity and temperature. Pleasing a new wealthy merchant class, vernacular furniture was…
This charming antique low elmwood cabinet has two wide intricately carved storage drawers. for storage and was probably made from elmwood. Late Qing Dynasty artisans devoted as much effort creating small treasures like this as they invested in larger pieces. Handcrafted with mortise and tenon joints, these items were made without nails or glue making them more…
This small antique elmwood cabinet from Fujian, a city known for ornate furniture for a newly emerging nouveau riche merchant class towards the end of the Qing dynasty. A center for mostly vernacular furniture and accessories from 1850-1930, their production was destined for ordinary people unconnected to the imperial court. Their mini cabinets were constructed…
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