Side Table From Jiangsu - Late 19th Century

This unusual Chinese side table with a cracked ice design dates from the 19th century and is from Jiangsu. It is constructed from a cypress frame & red elm (zelkova) top. Red elm as the name suggests has a more red tone and a more aesthetically pleasant grain. Red elm (jumu / 榉木), also known as zelkova or 'southern elm' is considered a superior wood to yumu, its northern cousin. 

As well as a wonderful patina, this piece has a cracked ice shelf at the base, usually a mark of quality. This style of table is far more commonly made as an 80cm high table which could be used as a flower stand or double as a scribes table. It's deeply unusual to find this style and height and even less common for this style to utilize a stand on stand design. 

This could easily be used as a stool or footrest as well as a low table.

From China

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