Antique Chinese Patched Cypress Tea Table, 19th Century

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Description

This antique Chinese center table dates to the mid-19th century, crafted of cypress with mortise-and-tenon joinery and a beautiful, timeworn … Read more This antique Chinese center table dates to the mid-19th century, crafted of cypress with mortise-and-tenon joinery and a beautiful, timeworn finish. Found at the center of social activity, Chinese square tables such as this were used on a daily basis for eating meals, serving tea, or playing games.

The table frame and stretchers are designed with ribbed carvings and rounded corners, meant to imitate the strips of bamboo or willow used in early Chinese bentwood furniture. As though woven by hand, the stacked apron and humpback stretchers appear to wrap gracefully around each of the round corner legs, an intriguing detail that keeps the table feeling light and open.

Pieced repairs to the tabletop add incredible character and hint at the table's many past lives. A step beyond restoration, the inlaid wood repairs decorate the top with auspicious motifs, including a moon, a pomegranate and an elegant, pear-shaped vase. Richly aged from years of use, the original lacquer finish has all but faded, leaving a soft patina and slight darkening along the sides.

Additional Dimensions:
Stretcher to Floor: 26.25"H See less