清十八世紀 黃花梨條桌

the single floating panel top set flush in a mitered, mortise-and-tenon frame of standard construction, supported underneath by three transverse stretchers, the frame edge neatly beaded and molded inward towards the elegantly arched and beaded aprons, continuing to four slender legs of square section with beading to the inside edge, terminating in well-articulated inward-curving hoof feet

There is slight shrinkage to the top panel, some staining and filled and a patched repair to the beaded edge. Filled repairs consolidating joints and to inside of one leg, the feet and a small patch to the tip of one foot. Some of the pegs joining the apron to the frame are missing and replaced with metal pins. Residue on the feet and one foot with a circular opening indicated that table may once have rested on a stretcher base, now missing. The table was treated with a layer of varnish that is now decaying and turning a bit cloudy which distorts the color and grain slightly.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The modest single-arch cusped apron on the present lot references Song dynasty prototypes. For an example of a similar form of softwood dated to the 13th - 15th century see Curtis Evarts, C. L. Ma Collection: Traditional Chinese Furniture from the Shanxi Region, Hong Kong, 1999, no. 71 where the author notes that the early versions usually have straight stretchers across and double stretchers on either end, a feature that disappears by the end of the Ming "as a result of developed joinery techniques."   A square example of the present table is illustrated in a late Ming dynasty print illustration from Mu lian, ibid, p. 172.

Song dynasty taste underwent a popular revival in the early Qing dynasty. The refined clean lines of the Song aesthetic appealed to literati taste and were a welcome response to a growing tendency towards complex and ornate decoration. A similar corner-leg table with arched apron but with ball feet from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture was sold at Christie's New York, 19th September 1996, lot 40. A related table of very economical lines and slender proportions but with a straight apron was sold in these rooms 15th September 2015, lot 29.