Chinese Crackled Double Ear Altar Table, C. 1775

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In households throughout China, long tables with everted ends were commonly placed against the back wall of the main room … Read more In households throughout China, long tables with everted ends were commonly placed against the back wall of the main room as an altar for ancestral tablets, iconography and offerings. This example from the late 18th century was sourced directly from a courtyard home in Shanxi province, where it was passed down through a family for generations.

The table follows classical designs, featuring a solid plank top with everted flanges, a shallow apron with double-ear spandrels and round legs linked by double stretchers. A fine beaded edge traces the apron, flowing beautifully into the swirling contours of the curved spandrels. Ideal today as a console table, the elmwood table is cloaked in its original black lacquer finish, now heavily crackled for a lovely antique texture. See less