Unique Fujian Altar Table

A beautiful Qing dynasty altar table from the Southern Fujian province, completely restored and applied with antiquated lacquer. The carvings in front of the table and the apron are original antique pieces that have been re-used to complete the altar table. This happened often with antique furniture that were too broken to completely restore. The legs, drawers and top have been carefully remade with lots of attention to the detailed carvings and the lacquerwork is beautifully antiquated. The legs are carved in a typical Fujian style of elegant, curvy lion heads.
This altar table is very heavy and of superb quality.

Altar tables can be recognised by their ‘wings’ (carved pieces of wood at each end of the top), which denoted their religious and spiritual use. They were large; often over two metres in length. The altar table would be placed in the formal central hall of a house as a focal point, usually against the rear wall. These tables would display the tablets and incense used in ancestor worship, but would also show off prized possessions or heirlooms. Most altar tables were made with a recessed legs (where no iron nails were used).