Chinese Winged Altar Table

Long, low-slung table with flat upturned ends and tidy corner carvings.

This winged altar table is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is carved & lacquered purple elm wood. Collectors generally weigh aesthetics, age, condition, design, origin and provenance when judging antique furniture, though the article argues that scarcity ends up with the greatest influence on value. Rectangular table with a smooth top whose ends flip up slightly. Small carved scroll brackets sit at each corner under the apron, and slab-style legs stand on flat feet. The finish is dark reddish brown with a gentle sheen. It is 85 inches long, 20 deep and 35 high.

Plain talker, with just a flourish at each corner.