Chinese Altar with Pierced Work & Inscription

Elm, carved through like lace, dark as strong tea.

Carpenters of Shanxi Province, China, made this altar with pierced work and an inscription in elm wood. The record does not give a date. Small altar stands are commonly used to hold offerings or objects for household worship. Here a scalloped top rests on a tall carved shaft with pierced scrolling at the sides. A stepped base sits below. Characters appear to be incised along the center, though they are not translated here. The wood is dark with a worn, glossy surface.

About 24 inches tall. A little shrine that still holds its own in a modern room.