Coffee table - Wood, Stone, Lacquer - China - coffee table

The table is in good, historically preserved condition. The black lacquer retains a nice sheen, while showing the typical and fascinating patina of age along the edges and small signs of wear consistent with its age. The upper inlays are overall intact and the structural mounting pins show no obvious cracks, keeping the piece fully functional. The table legs are folded inward to take up less space. The lattice frame and decorative legs are visible inside the table frame. The shot is from above, showing the underside of the table. The scene is well lit and there are no people holding it. Bottom left, the edge of the furniture is visible, and in the upper right you can see a wooden furniture piece. They are hard semiprecious stones, paired with mother-of-pearl elements and carved organic motifs. The close-up photo of the top confirms the use of the traditional Chinese raised inlay technique (often called shibayama or raised Coromandel lacquer when applied to these 20th-century furnishings). Looking in detail at the materials visible on the top:
• Peonies (center and right): They are carved from blocks of semiprecious hard stones. The central darker peony shows the typical veining of soapstone or veined jade, while the petals of the right-hand flower are carved from a lighter, more translucent stone (alabaster-like or calcite). The leaves underneath take advantage of the natural shading of a green stone (serpentine or inexpensive jadeite) to imitate real foliage.
• The flowering branches and the little bird (left): The tiny white flowers on the branches and the iridescent details on the bird’s plumage are made of mother-of-pearl (sourced from marine shells), cut and carved to reflect light with changing hues.