Qing Dynasty Black Lacquer Gold Painted Square Abacus Table with Hidden Eight Immortals Motifs

拍品描述

Dimensions: Side Length 66cm (25.98in), Overall Height 34.5cm (13.58in), Qing DynastyCondition & Provenance: Category: Chinese Scholar’s Miscellaneous Art, primary trading hubs New York and Vancouver. This table originates from the private collection of Hugh Carter, a veteran Oriental antique collector based in Richmond, Virginia, USA. He acquired this piece at Sotheby’s New York Asian Art auction in 2019. The hardwood frame remains structurally sound with no penetrating splits or rot from wood-boring insects. The raw wooden base panels on the underside show natural age wear, with only minor fine age cracks that are entirely consistent with antique wooden furniture. The entire surface is finished with thick black lacquer framed by wide vermilion red borders. All gold painted patterns including scrolling floral vines, geometric key fret motifs, longevity “Shou” characters and Hidden Eight Immortals emblems remain largely intact; only faint minor fading on select gilded areas, no large-scale lacquer loss. The nine-grid layout on the tabletop is fully preserved, four sections fitted with complete turquoise stone abacus beads with stable, unloosened spindles, and the central decorative panel with gold floral treasure painting has no damage. The four legs, aprons and stretchers are fully covered in fine gold painted scrollwork, with intact gilded key fret decorations on square feet, no broken legs or restored glue joints. The table retains its original one-piece wooden construction with no later disassembly or modification. Complete supporting documents are provided: original Sotheby’s New York auction catalog, authentication certificate issued by the North American Classical Furniture Association, and full U.S. art import filing records for private collection.Description: This multi-functional black lacquer square abacus table from the Qing Dynasty was crafted for both merchant accounting use and formal hall display, built with a solid hardwood frame in a perfect square silhouette. The tabletop adopts a traditional nine-grid layout, divided into nine panels across four corners, four sides and the center. Four panels hold fully functional abaci fitted with polished turquoise beads, while the remaining five panels are adorned with fine gold lacquer paintings of the Hidden Eight Immortals’ sacred tools, blending practical accounting utility with elite Chinese decorative lacquer art. The entire piece is coated in deep, rich black lacquer with bold vermilion red trim outlining every edge. Gold painted artwork covers every vertical facade, apron, table leg and cross stretcher, featuring winding floral scrolls, cloud tendrils, geometric key fret borders and bold gilded longevity “Shou” calligraphy. Eight decorative panels individually depict each of the Eight Immortals’ ceremonial artifacts: gourd, double-edged sword, flower basket, fish drum, jade clappers, lotus blossom, flute and folding fan, a classic auspicious decorative scheme of the Qing era symbolizing fortune and protection from misfortune. The four built-in abaci on the tabletop are neatly arranged, with uniformly smooth turquoise beads that slide freely along sturdy, unbroken spindles. The central square panel displays an elaborate gold painting of interwoven Buddhist treasure flowers with rich layered composition. Designed as a low square side table, it stands on four straight square legs reinforced by double cross stretchers. The carved aprons are lined with detailed gold scrollwork, and each square foot is capped with gilded key fret ornamentation for stable, balanced structure. The underside retains its original raw wooden base planks, showcasing weathered aged timber patina with zero modern refinishing or structural alterations. These multi-purpose lacquered wooden abacus tables were originally used in merchant shop accounting rooms and wealthy household reception halls during the Qing Dynasty. Surviving intact specimens with complete original gold painting and matching turquoise beads are extremely scarce on the global antique market. This piece unites three core antique craft traditions: Chinese lacquerware, hardwood furniture carving and traditional abacus craftsmanship, making it highly sought-after by American and Canadian collectors specializing in Chinese literati miscellaneous antiques. It delivers exceptional decorative value for modern interior spaces, solid investment potential and profound cultural research significance for Chinese folk commercial art, ranking as a museum-quality Qing lacquer woodwork treasure circulated in North America.

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