A RARE MARBLE-INSET HUANGHUALI WAISTLESS FLUSH-CORNER-LEG SIDE TABLE

The present table is a superb example of the highly successful combination of huanghuali and mottled stone. The tones of pink, grey, white and ochre in the variegated marble panel create a subtly textured pattern that when set within the amber tones and dynamic grain of the huanghuali frame presents a refined aesthetic. In this example, the combination of contrasting materials synthesize to one balanced piece of furniture. Surviving examples of marble-inset tables are relatively few, as stone tops are more susceptible to cracking and damage from use.

A slightly smaller and waisted huanghuali side table with variegated red marble top was sold at Christie’s New York, 22 March 2024, lot 1108. Another elegant grey and yellow variegated marble-inset huanghuali table, carved with interlocking floral scroll on the aprons, is illustrated by G. Wu Bruce, Ming Furniture Through My Eyes, Beijing, 2015, p. 35.