Chinese Black Lacquer Low Table With Mother of Pearl Inlay - 1940s Ming Style, Japanese-American Provenance

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A striking Chinese black lacquer low table in the Ming style, dating to the 1940s, with an exceptional and deeply … Read more A striking Chinese black lacquer low table in the Ming style, dating to the 1940s, with an exceptional and deeply personal provenance. The table was brought to the United States by a Japanese war bride in the late 1940s, confirmed by a handwritten sticker on the underside - a tangible connection to one of the most extraordinary chapters of postwar American history.

The form is classic and elegant: a low platform base with beautifully carved cloud-scroll legs, designed for use as an opium or tea table. The black lacquer ground is embedded throughout with iridescent shell fragments that catch the light and shift with the viewing angle, a decorative technique rooted in traditional Chinese lacquerware craft. The effect is subtle but beautiful, particularly in natural light.

At 42 inches wide the table works equally well as a coffee table in a modern interior, a display surface, or used in its original intended context as a low tea or meditation table. The patina and wear are honest and appropriate to its age and history.
From a private New York City collection. See less