Small Japanese Table
Date1850 - 1899
Object NameTable
Mediumlaquered wood, mother-of-pearl
ClassificationsFurniture
DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 369 × 220 × 220mm
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS008563
About MeThis wooden table is decorated with red and black lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl.Lacquerware originated in China at the beginning of the 4th century B.C. It is made from the sap of the native tree Rhus Vernicifera, which produces a varnish that is used either on its own or applied to a number of media including wood, fabric, bronze, and porcelain.
As well as being resistant to heat and water this type of lacquer is also hard enough to carve. Each decorative piece demonstrates great skill and patience, as it could take up to two years to complete. Carved lacquer is made from many layers, sometimes up to 300, which had to be dried after each application. Often layers would alternate in colour, creating a depth to the design.
possibly early 20th Century
Taisho Period, c.1924
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Qing Dynasty, late 19th century
20th Century
Late 19th century
Meiji Period, 1868 - 1912
Edo Period, late 19th century
19th Century
Qing Dynasty, 19th century
James Cromar Watt
Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Period (early 19th Century)
James Cromar Watt
