Elm furniture: the largest furniture type in northern China.

Elm is a deciduous tree, tall and straight, widely distributed in northern China, especially in the Yellow River basin. Its texture is clear, its hardness and strength are moderate, and it can be handled by carving relief, which shows its tenacity. In the north, elm furniture is the largest kind of furniture, which is made by waxing or painting.

The difference between elm and white elm

Ulmus pumila can be divided into Ulmus pumila and Ulmus pumila with naked eyes. White elm is pale yellow when it is newly cut, and the longer it is, the darker it will be. Purple elm is naturally dark purple, and its weight is similar to that of old mahogany. Craftsmen skillfully use the color difference between the two elms to make furniture, such as using yellow elm as the frame and purple elm as the core board, with amazing results.

Distribution of Elm Furniture in Northern China

Elm furniture is widely distributed in the north and grows with other materials. There are traces of elm furniture in Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Henan and other ancient furniture provinces. From the early Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, the production of elm furniture never stopped, and its evolution process and regional characteristics were clearly visible. Early elm furniture was mostly special furniture, which was molded in Gu Zhuo and displayed in temples, ancestral halls and other places, so it has been preserved to this day.

All kinds of elm furniture

Elm furniture is rich in variety, covering almost all kinds of furniture. Seats, bedding, bearings and furniture are all available. Chairs in various seating, sofas and arhat beds in bedding, desks in bearings, cabinets in furniture, etc. They are all excellent works.

Shanxi elm furniture is the best.

In the north, elm furniture in Shanxi is the best, but not as good as that in Hebei, Shandong and Henan. This shows that commercial developed areas have a great influence on culture, and excellent craftsmen gather in areas with high commercial value to obtain the greatest economic benefits, and at the same time, they have made artistic achievements in this area.

Characteristics of elm furniture

The craft level of elm furniture is uneven, including beautifully shaped and well-made, as well as rural customs. Elm furniture shows the characteristics of simplicity and deep local cultural brand, emphasizing practicality rather than pursuing too much decoration. This echoes the personality differences between northerners and southerners: southerners are delicate and northerners are rough; Southerners drink and sing, while northerners drink and sing. For collectors, only by fully understanding these characteristics can we collect excellent elm furniture works.