Floral Porcelain Stool

30cm (dia) x 44cm

Also called a Chinese tabourette (from the French, meaning a low stool or small table) our glazed Chinese porcelain stools are suitable for use as seating or garden lighting. Their simple look and lines belie a long and interesting history.

In France, they were used as seats for people in the presence of royalty. Since it was impolite to sit in a grander or similar chair as the king or queen, tabourettes (low stools without arm rests or backs were the answer.

In China, however, their use dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when stone and porcelain were used to make various forms of seating. Northern and Southern Song Dynasty (960-1279) when mid-level seating became popular. In the even more ancient days, most Chinese people simply sat on the floor or on low raised platforms.