Lot 870. A rare huanghuali trestle-leg table, qiaotou'an, 17th century; 34 in. (86.4 cm.) high, 84 ¼in. (213.9 cm.) wide, 19 ¾ in. (50.2 cm.) deep. Estimate: USD 200,000 - USD 300,000. Price realised USD 375,000. © Christie's 2021

The single, floating panel is set in the rectangular frame fitted flush at both narrow ends with everted ends, above the beaded apron and shaped, beaded spandrels carved with stylized archaistic scroll. The whole is raised on finely beaded trestle legs joined by shaped openwork panels and fitted into shoe feet.

Provenance: Grace Wu Bruce, London, 2004.

Note: This form is known as a qiaotou'an, or 'everted end recessed-leg table,' although the late Ming style-maker Wen Zhenheng termed it bizhuo, or 'wall table,' as it was commonly used against a wall to display works of art or to hold offerings. Tables of the present type tend to feature long, single-plank tops and thick members. Such tables also feature aprons with integral spandrels which are joined by dovetail-housing to the trestle legs, providing added structural support. The angular scrollwork on the spandrels is very rare and deviates from the more typically seen ruyi-form spandrels. A huanghuali trestle-leg table with the more commonly seen ruyi-form spandrels was sold at Christie’s New York, 17-18 March 2016, lot 1314.

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 23-24 september 2021