A fine and rare jichimu Recessed-leg Table (qiaotouan). 17th century. Photo Sotheby's

the single plank top with beveled and beaded edge terminating in everted flanges and supported on trestles, above a straight apron with beading continuing onto the spandrels, each formed as a crested phoenix with pierced scrolling wings and tails, supported by square legs with raised 'two incense stick' beading joined by a humped shoe foot and framing a large openwork panel, well carved with a cloud-shaped lingzhi surrounded by smaller lingzhi set amidst interlaced scrolling vines, the wood very finely grained with a characteristic wavy, feathery pattern and of a rich, dark color with a very smooth patina. Height 35 1/2 in., 90.2 cm; Width 70 1/2 in., 179.1 cm; Depth 18 in., 45.7 cm. Estimate 300,000-500,000 USD

PROVENANCE: The Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture Collection (until 1996).

Christie's New York, 19th September 1996, lot 59.Christie's New York, 19th September 1996, lot 59.

Christie's New York, 25th March 1998, lot 15.

LITERATURE: Sarah Handler, 'Classical Chinese Furniture in the Renaissance Collection', Orientations, January 1991, p. 50, fig. 14.

Lark E. Mason, 'Understanding Joinery in Chinese Furniture', Journal of the Classical Furniture Society, Autumn 1991, p. 20, fig. 11.

Terese Tse Bartholomew, 'Botanical Motifs in Chinese Furniture', Journal of the Classical Furniture Society, Autumn 1992, p. 37, fig. 3.

Wang Shixiang, 'Jiangyue Mingdian' (The Beauty of Ming Furniture), Gugong wenwu yuekan, May 1993, no. 122, p. 8.

Wang Shixiang, 'The Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture in California', Journal of the Classical Furniture Society, Autumn 1993, p. 50, no. 6. Wang Shixiang et al., Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, p. 112, no. 53.

NOTE: The present table is distinguished by the very fine quality of the carved phoenix spandrels and the lingzhi end panels, unusual for a table not of huanghuali wood. Although phoenix spandrels do appear on a number of published tables, pierced examples are rare. A huanghuali table with similar spandrels is in the Collection of the Beijing Timber Factory, and is illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 171, no. 112. A portable table with similar spandrels and openwork-end panels carved with a single large lingzhi is in the Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection, illustrated by Grace Wu Bruce in the collection Catalogue, Hong Kong, 1998, vol. II, pp. 94-95, no. 18. Another portable table in huanghuali with phoenix spandrels and side panels is illustrated by Robert D. Jacobsen and Nicholas Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Chicago, 1999, no. 42. A huanghuali and nanmu table, also with pierced phoenix spandrels but with the legs joined by simple double stretchers, was in the Piccus Collection, sold at Christie's, New York, 18th September 1997, lot 15.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York. 14 september 2011 www.sothebys.com