Featured Chinese Altar Table

Hi Kathleen and thanks for the updated photos.

You might want to get @verybrad to comment on the timber as he knows so much about timber and furniture but to me, the top looks like Rosewood which was (and still is) very commonly used in furniture in China and especially in Hong Kong. Genuine Rosewood is becoming quite scarce worldwide, and despite a downturn in popularity, will still remain desirable. In HK, there is a whole road (Queens Road East) which has many family-owned shops that are still dedicated to manufacturing and selling Rosewood furniture of very high quality.

In the close-ups, some parts of the legs look like stained Elm to me which is easier to carve and is quite common, but it could just be the effect of the flash.
I think the table is probably a 1940's/1960's piece if you remember it as a child, but really well made and obviously well looked after. I could only find a few examples of similar styles for reference.

I think it is a lovely piece and your Aunt was obviously ahead of her time. Good luck with the sale.

 

Not very good with Chinese furniture woods. Could be rosewood or mahogany. Hong Mu seems like a good possibility as well. Quality of this piece is pretty good. Think 60s or earlier. Don't believe it to be a true antique.

 

Thank you for all the information !