19th C Qing Chinese Scholar’s Carved Hardwood Desk Trays - a Pair

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Description

A pair of rare 19th C Chinese hand carved hardwood, possibly Hong Mu wood, Scholars desk trays in a large … Read more A pair of rare 19th C Chinese hand carved hardwood, possibly Hong Mu wood, Scholars desk trays in a large lily pad leaf design with flower heads. Each being slightly different, one has a bird’s head and the other a nice protruding stem between the flower heads, they were made to be displayed together. These were finished with a mix of beeswax and a few other natural concoctions the Chinese used to seal the finish and give it a great mellow sheen. The beauty of the surfaces is that whenever they start to get dull one can use a soft cotton buffing cloth, rubbing with medium pressure, and rather quickly the warmth and friction of the soft cotton cloth will bring up the sheen again without adding any waxes or surface enhancements. Measures about 10.5" long x 7.5" wide x 1.5.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE
Carved hardwood trays of this type belong to the scholar’s table tradition, where natural forms—leaf, stem, blossom—were favored not as ornament alone, but as an extension of literati taste. The restrained asymmetry seen here, with each tray differing slightly in composition, aligns with Qing-period preferences for variation within a paired concept rather than strict duplication. The wood appears consistent with hongmu or a closely related dense hardwood, evidenced by its weight, tight grain, and the depth of the oxidized surface. The patina has developed through handling rather than applied surface build-up, with darker areas settling into the recesses of the carving and lighter wear along the high points.
The carving itself is competent and deliberate. The flower heads are crisply defined, and the trailing stems retain a sense of movement without becoming overly stylized. The inclusion of the bird-head element in one example is notable, as it introduces a subtle symbolic layer—nature observed and interpreted—without dominating the overall composition.
Such trays would have served a practical role on the scholar’s desk—holding small implements or objects of contemplation—while also functioning as quiet expressions of material quality and cultivated restraint. See less