Scott No: -
Serial number: 2012-12
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: June 9, 2012
Denomination: 480 fen
Designer: Ma Gang, Yu Shan
Size of stamps:
Value 1, 4: 50 * 30 mm
Value 2, 3: 40 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 12 (Value 1, 4 for Sheet I, Value 2, 3 for Sheet II)
Size of sheet: 245 * 140 mm
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Henan Provincal Postage Stamp Printing Works

On June 9, 2012, China Post issued the special stamp set "Ming and Qing Furniture – Supporting Furniture" with catalog number 2012-12. The set consists of four stamps, featuring: Ming Dynasty Huanghuali Flat-Top Painting Table with Clip-Tenon Joints, Qing Dynasty Huanghuali Square Table with Openwork Chi-Dragon Decoration, Ming Dynasty Huanghuali High-Waisted Square Incense Stand with Stone Top, and Ming Dynasty Tieli Wood Tilted-Top Table with Elephant Decoration. Each stamp has a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 4.80 yuan. The stamps were designed by Ma Gang and Yu Shan, with materials provided by the Palace Museum, the Guanfu Museum, and the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. They were printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory using offset printing with embossing, and incorporate anti-counterfeiting paper, anti-counterfeiting ink, shaped perforations, and fluorescent spray codes. A stamp booklet (catalog number 46) was issued concurrently. This set is the second in the "Ming and Qing Furniture" series, following the earlier "Seating Furniture" issue, focusing on the category of supporting furniture and showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of traditional Chinese woodworking.

The Ming and Qing dynasties represent the peak of traditional Chinese furniture design. Ming-style furniture is characterized by simple forms, refined lines, precise joinery, and a natural, understated aesthetic. Qing-style furniture, building on this foundation, placed greater emphasis on decorative carving and intricate ornamentation.

Traditional Chinese furniture can be classified into five categories by function: seating, reclining, supporting, storage, and miscellaneous. Supporting furniture refers to pieces designed to hold or display objects, primarily including tables (zhuo), desks/cases (an), and stands (ji). In ancient China, a clear distinction was made between zhuo and an: zhuo were used for daily dining and activities, with legs positioned at the four corners of the top; an were used for calligraphy, painting, and ceremonial display, with legs set inward from the corners, embodying scholarly refinement. This functional and cultural distinction is unique to Chinese furniture.

Ming Dynasty Huanghuali Flat-Top Painting Table with Clip-Tenon Joints (Guanfu Museum collection): Characterized by an elegant, simple form, a stable clip-tenon structure, and minimal ornamentation, it is a typical example of a Ming-style scholar's painting table, used for calligraphy and painting in the study.

Qing Dynasty Huanghuali Square Table with Openwork Chi-Dragon Decoration (Palace Museum collection): Built on a simple frame, it features openwork chi-dragon carvings, reflecting the rich ornamentation characteristic of Qing Dynasty furniture, suitable for daily use in halls.

Ming Dynasty Huanghuali High-Waisted Square Incense Stand with Stone Top (Palace Museum collection): Featuring graceful, curved legs with a base, it was often used for displaying incense burners and vases in tea rooms or elegant chambers.

Ming Dynasty Tieli Wood Tilted-Top Table with Elephant Decoration (Palace Museum collection): The ends of the tabletop are upturned, and the aprons are carved with elephant motifs, giving it a dignified and solemn appearance, often placed against the wall in halls for displaying antiques and ritual vessels.

The stamp designs feature an antique light yellow background, faithfully reproducing the appearance of the original furniture pieces. Two different stamp sizes are used to accommodate the varying lengths of the furniture—the painting table and tilted-top table are longer, while the square table and incense stand are slightly narrower, creating a visually balanced proportion. The left and right sides of each stamp feature traditional decorative borders and inscriptions naming the pieces. The embossing technique enhances the three-dimensionality of the furniture contours. The accompanying stamp booklet includes traditional painting illustrations depicting the use of supporting furniture in everyday life.

This stamp set is a significant collectible for thematic collections focusing on cultural relics, classical craftsmanship, and traditional culture.