Ɏ A HUANGHUALI ALTAR TABLE, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912. Finely carved, the tabletop set with a floating panel extending into down-turned scroll ends terminating into dragon heads, decorated on the shorter ends with stylized dragon bodies. The openwork apron with a central disk, carved with raised nodes, flanked by two oval circles attached to curved spandrels. The legs decorated with archaistic scrolling designs and ruyi-head feet. The wood has a superb grain with several ghost eyes on the tabletop. Provenance: Valdemar’s Castle, Tåsinge, Denmark. A private collection in Germany, acquired from the above. Valdemar’s Castle was commissioned in 1639 by King Christian IV and was intended as the home for his son Valdemar Christian, who died before the castle was completed. In 1677, Denmark’s great naval hero Admiral Niels Juel (1629-1697) was given the title to the castle and the land on Tåsinge after his victory over Sweden in the Battle of Køge. The estate was transferred to him as payment for the Swedish ships captured in the battle. Here, his family has remained for 12 generations and almost 350 years. The present owner, Baron Juel-Brockdorff, who is the 11th generation of the Juel family, took over his childhood home from his father in 1971 and resides in the castle with his wife and family. The family’s collection includes important paintings, furniture, weaponry, and porcelain from all over the world. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, manufacturing irregularities, and miniscule age cracks. The wood displays a warm patina. Dimensions: 91 x 53 x 34.6 cm Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 13 May 2008, lot 185 Price: GBP 3,750 or approx. EUR 8,100 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Chinese hardwood altar table, circa 1900 Expert remark: Compare the closely related form with a near identical apron. Note the different stretchers Note the size (153 x 99.5 x 43.8 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 13 May 2013, lot 524 Price: GBP 3,750 or approx. EUR 6,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Chinese Hongmu altar table, late 19th century Expert remark: Compare the related form albeit with a differently styled apron. Note the size (116 x 85 x 41.5 cm). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.