A CHINESE HAND CARVED HARDWOOD TABLE
QING DYNASTY (1644-1912), CIRCA 1850-1875
HARDWOOD / “BLACK WOOD” / HUANGHUALI ROSEWOOD TYPE

This is a “Center” table that was created to stand, in a special place, as a focal point in the middle of a room or entry foyer. There are a total of 19 Chinese dragons carved into this table… 15 serpentine “Cloud Dragons,” known as “Feilong” “飛龍” that are authentically depicted with deer antlers, enveloped by swirling, sinuous clouds, indicating their domain of the heavens, with an elaborate frieze that depicts 8 cloud dragons, 2 on each of the four sides, and hand carved into playful, tête-à-tête pairs, dancing amongst the clouds with their “Flaming Pearls of Knowledge,” a 9th Imperial, 5-toed Cloud Dragon carved from a large, 3-inch-thick block of hardwood made into a supporting stretcher that is positioned in the center of four, splayed spindles, also carved with clouds all around; above the frieze of 8 dragons, is a band of lappets carved in a style popular in the Qing dynasty; above the band of lappets is riser of pierced wood carved with flowing ribbons; above the ribbons, wrapped around the top edges, are a further 6 serpentine dragons, dancing amongst swirling clouds, 2 pairs of which are also depicted with their flaming pearls, all standing on elaborately-carved legs, each topped with a protective, guardian dragon and terminating in “ball and claw” feet... claws of the dragons, each clutching their Pearl of Knowledge.

The table has a European shape, with cabriole legs and a bombé shape in a style very similar to Queen Anne, which makes this table more unusual than what is typically found. From the English and European influence, we are estimating the table to have been constructed sometime around the third quarter of the 19th century, circa 1850-1875.

Details:
· Thick-planked, solid wood construction.
· Pierced, apron-work frieze decoratively carved with 8 “Cloud Dragons”, each pair with a “Flaming Pearl of Knowledge”.
· The upper edges of the table are also carved with 6 “Cloud Dragons”, 2 pairs with “Flaming Pearls”.
· A 9th Imperial “Cloud Dragon” is richly carved on the stretcher.
· Cabriole legs in Queen Anne style, each with a menacing, protective dragon guarding the corners.
· The carved legs each terminate with a Dragon’s claw holding large “pearls”, known in the West as “Ball and Claw”.
· Elaborate and richly-carved, pierced work.
· Cloud and lappet bands in the Qing dynasty style.
· The under section of the table top has been reinforced and stabilized with old metal brackets.
· Rich patina overall.

Note: This type of hardwood is many times referred to in the West as “Rosewood”. It would have most likely been originally sourced, in the 19th century, from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Rosewood is a very heavy and dense wood that allows the woodcarver to bring out the details in his design work. This type of wood grows very, very slowly, taking many decades to produce timber good enough to be carved into a large piece of furniture like this.

approximately 44 in wide x 33 in high x 29 in deep


PLEASE MAKE SPECIAL NOTE: THIS AUCTION WILL BE RUN AUTOMATICALLY BY THE LIVEAUCTIONEERS COMPUTER SYSTEM. KNOWN AS A “LIVE TIMED AUCTION (AUTOMATED CONSOLE),” THE BIDDING WILL TAKE PLACE VERY QUICKLY AND THERE WILL BE NO CHANCE OF A PAUSE BETWEEN BIDS. PLEASE BE PREPARED, IN ADVANCE, TO IMMEDIATELY PLACE YOUR BID WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

IN ADDITION, THIS IS A NO RESERVE / NO BUYER'S COMMISSION AUCTION. PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN PLANNING YOUR BIDS.

Thank you and enjoy the auction!

Table top has surface scratches and rubbings, but all-in-all in very good condition.

----------------------------------------------

All statements by us in the online catalogue entry for the property or in the condition report, or made orally or in writing elsewhere, are statements of opinion and are not to be relied on as statements of fact. The absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. All property is sold “as is” without any representation or warranty of any kind.