This low sideboard in solid elm shows a four-door front with three drawers and ring pulls in wrought iron. The top, formed by a continuous plank with slightly raised ends, carries a warm patina with dark marks inherited from use. China, circa 1930.
In rural northern Chinese homes, low sideboards were used as a multi-purpose piece: household storage, support surface or continuous bench next to the kang. Their limited height responded to the logic of a daily life largely conducted on the kang adobe platform.
The construction is robust: solid elm in structure and fronts, traditional mortise and tenon joinery, scalloped lower apron with wavy profile and top with slightly everted ends. Hardware — locks and rings — is original and keeps the patina of aged iron.
The current finish shows natural elm in warm tones, bathed by a dense patina that preserves the honest marks of a century of domestic life. Doors open cleanly and the lower drawers slide without effort.
It works exceptionally well as a media unit thanks to its low height and generous length, as a sitting-room sideboard or as a long piece under a window. Its 148 cm frontage allows several objects to be placed in height and lets the piece breathe even in medium-sized rooms.
Details
- Materials and techniques: Solid elm; wrought iron hardware; mortise and tenon joinery
- Place of origin: China
- Period: Late Qing tradition
- Date of manufacture: Circa 1930
- Dimensions: Length 148 cm × Width 40 cm × Height 61 cm
- Condition: Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Original patina.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE
At Amaru Antiques (Barcelona) we select each antique for its history, its craftsmanship and the quiet presence it brings to a contemporary home.
