A fine huanghuali table, China, Ming dynasty. Photo Nagel Auktionen

Of "character one" table type (yi zi zhou shi). The rectangular top of standard mitred, mortice and tenon construction with a flush floating single plank tongue and grooved floating panel with three transverse dovetailed stretchers tenoned into the long rails. There is a break to the short end of the frame, now secured. The edge of the mitred frame has a softly molded section with a molded bottom edge. The splayed round legs are double lock mortice and tenoned into the long members of the frame and are cut to fit over the mitred shaped spandrels of the apron, the long members of which are dovetail wedged into the top rails. The legs also splay in elevation from the end. There is pegging to the inside of three of the legs to stablise the timber. These legs are joined by a high oval hump-back stretcher tenoned into each leg, unusual in that such tables are most frequently joined in the leg by a double straight oval section stretchers. The end aprons (replaced) are tapering dovetail joined to the long aprons. 83 x 139 x 47 cm. Estimate 100 000 / 150 000 €

Property from a Hamburg private collection bought from Nicholas Grindley, Barling od Mount Street, London, 19.8.1992

Nagel Auktionen. Asian Art, 2013/05/10. http://www.auction.de