Console Shanxi in dark patina – China, circa 1930

Wooden console table made of fir, originating from the Chinese province of Shanxi and dated around 1930. A narrow piece with an elongated silhouette, halfway between a domestic altar table and an entrance console, representative of provincial furniture from northern China. In the traditional houses of northern China, narrow console or altar tables were placed against the wall of the main room. They held ritual objects, vases, candlesticks, or flowers. Their function was both domestic and symbolic: they marked the hierarchy of space and caught the visitor's gaze upon entering the room. It is constructed from fir (shan), with a solid top and straight legs of square section, connected by horizontal stretchers and a lower apron with cut-out braces. The back features a blind panel that adds stability to the whole and allows it to be firmly supported against the wall. The joinery is assembled using traditional mortise and tenon joints, and the piece displays the characteristic internal reinforcements of a Chinese craft workshop. Details. Dimensions: Width: 93 cm Depth: 40 cm Height: 84 cm. Style: Chinese provincial furniture, late Qing dynasty – Republican period. Materials and techniques: Fir (shan); traditional mortise and tenon joints; lower apron with cut-out braces; back panel. Place of origin: Shanxi, China. Period: Late Qing dynasty – Republican period. Date of manufacture: Around 1930. Condition / Observations: Good. Retains its original patina with a darkened top from use. Wear consistent with age and use.