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 From the " faubourg " to Asia - MAISON DECORATION - June 1999.
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Discovering new outlets
COMPTOIR DE LA MAIN D'OR - ELLE DECORATION n°87 - Mai 1999.
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Arnaud Rist : affordable antique furniture
The art of antique hunting in China
A cabinetmaker and restorer for over 20 years, Arnaud Rist discovered the Ming Art by chance in a book. An encounter that by and by would lead him to Shanghai in 1997. Chinese furniture is on the grapevine and containers jammed with the stuff are unloaded all around Europe. But Arnaud Rist has always preferred making his finds in China. In the shadows of the warehouses where the worst and the best are stacked, he spots the elegant 19th century Ming pieces. His knowledge of the woods used stemming from his respect for their origin and their history.
Huang Huali, a tree that has disappeared since mid 18th century, as well as Zitan were reserved for imperial furniture. The latter is no longer allowed for exportation. These hard and precious woods come from the island of Hainan and the Canton area along with others such as Tieli, Hong and Jichi (also called "chicken wing"). To the north, around Peking, the forests consisted in the more common elm and walnut trees, thus the furniture was more rustic. Around Shanghai cabinetmakers used for many many years Ju, Cypress and peach tree wood [...].
Thanks to knowledge of his trade, Arnaud Rist has been able to work hand in hand with Chinese cabinetmakers, actually passing on a few tricks of the trade... The result is clearly effective and the prices quite good [...].
ANTIQUITES by Pauline Simons
Le Figaro Magazine Saturday 29 april 1999 issue.
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