Featured Chinese Altar Table

I recently inherited this beautiful table from my 98 yr old aunt who passed. I have found no markings and I have little information. I know it is apron pierced with finely carved dragons and scroll ends and it was purchased in China. I want to sell it however I have no idea what to ask for it? By the way my aunt was a very mean lady so there is no sentimental value! LOL Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Ihave an appt tomorrow with a man who is very interested he will want a price and I need some advice! Thanks!

 

Oh...a rush job !!
OK.
@verybrad
@i need help
@Any Jewelry

Just to get some eyes on it....
& BTW...
we'll need some close ups...& a couple of bigger photo's....

 

Ask $1750., tell him you got the evaluation here. He’ll tell you that’s way too much. Tell him he wanted a price and you gave it to him. Then tell him he can make an offer if he wants. If he offers over $500. that’d be good. If he says no, I’m leaving, be courteous and show him the door. He may be back.

All the above is based on my belief it is a post-1900 piece made for tourists, I don’t think it has much “antique collector” value.

 

Spring might not be that far off.

Here are some that didn't sell on ebay, and I'm not sure that they are indeed old or that their asking prices were anywhere near what they should be.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CINA-China...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-CH...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


If yours is indeed an antique, you would be unwise to sell it without knowing what you have.
The one picture you provided is insufficient for any adequate help. Can't tell if it is wood or lacquer.

 

Welcome Kathleen.
I'm sorry, the picture is too small for me to say much. Right now it looks more detailed than the altars in the links, but it is impossible to see if it is 100+ yrs old or recent.
If you feel you have to sell it soon, you can try spring's tactic. Many antique altar tables sell for ca $500. Yours could be more ornate or a better wood, but we can't see the quality of carving, wood or construction.
If you have a bit more time, post bigger photos, also close ups, details of the carving and construction please, and we'll be able to say more.
Good luck.

 

Welcome to Antiquers Kathleen!

 

Welcome Kathleen. The one photo isn't enough to give a real opinion and I think the others have probably covered it.

To me, it looks like rosewood which would tend to make it somewhat recent. However, the leg design is quite unusual for a Chinese piece and I think you need to take more time and get a wide range of opinions before you sell. A lot of early furniture makers were influenced by the Chinese style (for example Hepplewhite and Chippendale) and your piece looks really interesting and of good quality.

The table appears wider than usual hall tables which suggests another purpose. If it is around 90cm (36inches) tall and 50cm (20inches) wide it could be a scroll table with the upturned ends preventing the scroll from rolling off the table. In this case, I would refer to it as a Scholars Table.

Unless you need it gone quickly, I would take my time to sell and give some of the fantastic experts in this Forum time to advise you. Without more information or an expert opinion, it would get around $500 in Australia. Good luck.

 

i think by now it's sold........

 

Good observation about those upturned ends. My rosewood bar cabinet has zakly same ends on top, maybe to keep bottles from rolling off? Interestingly, it came with square ends too, that plug in once you remove the upturned bottle-catchers.

Looking at left end of op’s Table, notice the air space on two sides of the triangular support under the top. This may mean it was made easy to assemble and disassemble for shipping from Hong Kong to the customer. Typically the rosewood stuff is selected in a HK showroom and they build another after you pay, then they ship it to you.

 

I don't know if i posted pictures properly or not! I am so not good with the computer. I want to thank everyone for your advice and opinions!The man I met with was really pressuring me, so I didn't sell to him.

 

How much did he offer you? Looks pretty new to me, not an antique. Pics are fine, though last two could stand to be larger.

 

50$ I don't know the age but i know my grat aunt had it when I was little! And i'm 58.

 

$50.! What a bottom-feeder! Think I would have shown him the door forcefully without opening it. I agree not antique but still a very high-quality, interesting and useful object. Very roughly where is the table geographically? I don’t know if I could use it yet because I don’t think you’ve told us the size? I do like that style of furniture tho.

 

Glendale Arizona, 34 ins.height, 50 ins. wide, 18 ins. depth I had to take the table to him, I said nothing and my friend and I left! So frustrating!

 

That's ok. He doesn't know where you live that way.

A very nice good quality table.
@AuDragon

 

Thx, that’s a useful size for me and probably some others, maybe like what some call a library table. When u get time pls look undernearh and see if the table was made so it can be disassembled, which would certainly make it easier if shipping were required. If u were a few hours away (unfortunately I’m in mid-Atlantic US) I’d certainly make an offer on it.

 

I am glad you didn't let him pressure you into selling for $50. Ridiculous!
It is beautiful, and very good quality carving. The wood could be hongmu, which was popular during the Qing dynasty. But I think this one is a bit later, 30s-40s maybe.

 

Here is the bottom I don't think it can be taken apart!