Chinese Carved Rosewood Pedestal or Side Table

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What’s Mandarin for “Wow!”? AI informs that it’s 厉害了 pronounced "lì hài le," literally meaning "That’s impressive!" or "Awesome!" Someone … Read more What’s Mandarin for “Wow!”? AI informs that it’s 厉害了 pronounced "lì hài le," literally meaning "That’s impressive!" or "Awesome!" Someone must have said it as this extraordinarily exuberant example of a late 19th-century pedestal stand was finally completed in the maker’s workshop.
Intricately hand-carved in dense, durable rosewood, challenging to carve but highly prized for its rich, reddish-brown color and fine grain—known as "hongmu" in Chinese, since we’re going for translations here.
Speaking of the carvings! The intricate, high-relief decorative motifs are rich in symbolism. Prominently featured around the apron of the table, the four dragons symbolize power, strength, and authority in Chinese culture. The legs and lower shelf feature detailed carvings of cascading vines and flowers, often to ensure longevity and prosperity.
The design is characteristic of the Qing Dynasty style, which often favored elaborate ornamentation and heavier proportions compared to the minimalist Ming style. It features elegant cabriole-style legs (curved outward) joined by the lower shelf for stability.
The stand can be quite versatile as a side table, convenient for a book or a beverage. But traditionally, such pieces were used to elevate precious objects, sculptures, or potted plants like bonsai trees, enhancing their visibility and aesthetic impact in alignment with feng shui principles. This was all to ensure that energy flows freely through one’s rooms, helping to balance the Yin (passive, quiet) and Yang (active, bright) energies, thus creating a space that feels both vibrant and peaceful. Who doesn’t want that?
Maker’s mark: nonexistent. See less