Cypress Altar Table From Jiangsu - 19th Century

This traditional antique Chinese altar table is constructed in the classic Ming style. Altar tables perfectly suit a corridor or living room. The top is a single piece of cypress wood (baimu), highly valued in China and has developed a wonderful patina over time.

Altar tables were used for ancestor worship in China. Usually, a family ancestor portrait would be hung above the table & joss sticks lit & placed on the table for the well-being of the household. They were always long & narrow in form, a configuration seldom found in antique European furniture.