Elm wood is tough, clear in texture, moderate in hardness and strength, suitable for general carved relief, smooth in plane, beautiful in chord pattern and "chicken wing wood" pattern, and can be used for furniture and decoration. After drying, shaping, carving and polishing, elm can make exquisite lacquer carving crafts. It has a huge share in the northern furniture market.
Elms in the north and beeches in the south are called "beeches in the north". Elm can be divided into yellow elm and purple elm. Elm is more common, and the wood is pale yellow when it is newly cut, and its color gradually deepens with the growth of tree age; Purple elm is naturally dark purple, and the color of heavy elm is similar to that of old mahogany. So the biggest furniture in the north is elm, waxed and painted.
Elm can be made of other materials, and traces of elm furniture can be seen everywhere in Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Henan and other ancient furniture provinces. Early elm furniture was mainly special furniture, which was not only economical and practical, but also preserved history for a long time. The natural texture of elm is beautiful, the texture is tough, the texture is tall and straight, and the unique simple and natural color and charm of elm are in line with the concept of being a man respected by the ancients. Therefore, from ancient times to the present, elm is very popular, and it is the first choice for making furniture from dignitaries, literati and Li people.
As far as its history is concerned, since there was furniture, there was elm furniture. Elm furniture represents not only a tradition, but also a culture, a taste and a style. Therefore, elm furniture is gradually collected and loved by more and more people. To collect elm furniture, we must start with the craft, the carver should be delicate and the lines should be smooth; It depends not only on whether the appearance is complete and beautiful, but also on whether the workmanship is fine and perfect. Small ornaments with fine workmanship are even more valuable than large pieces of furniture.
When collectors identify the value of elm collections, they mainly consider the following points: first, the formal beauty and modeling of furniture, whether complex or simple, depend on whether it is attractive; Second, the material is excellent, and the log material can be preserved for a long time. The longer it takes, the warmer it looks. Third, exquisite workmanship, elegant and generous, pretty and charming, and good aesthetic intention. Of course, it is also very valuable to get a batch of classical elm furniture with good carving and complete appearance.