Chinese Elm Console Table with Carved Fretwork | Altar Table

• Structurally checked
• Adjusted and reinforced where necessary
• Hand-sanded
• Furniture ready for use

The entrance to a house tells its story before anyone says a word. It's the first thing you see and the last thing you remember as you leave.

This Chinese console follows the tradition of Ming-style altar tables, those that for centuries presided over the main rooms of Chinese homes. It is constructed from elm wood, crafted in the traditional manner, with mortise and tenon joints and not a single screw visible.

The wood has been left in its natural tone, washed, almost blonde, with the vivid grain of the elm showing through. Beneath the top, the carved openwork cartouches depict hand-carved friezes and cloud volutes — the same motif repeated on the appliques of the legs. Such carving does not come from any assembly line.

It measures 150 cm wide by barely 36 cm deep, so it can be placed in a hallway or corridor without obstructing passage. At 82.6 cm high, it also works behind a sofa, under a large mirror, or as a living room console.

No two are alike. There will be no restocking.

── WHAT WE LIKE MOST ABOUT THIS PIECE ──

→ The carved cartouches. The friezes and cloud volutes are openwork and hand-sculpted in elm; they even retain traces of the original dark lacquer, a testament to its previous life.

→ The washed elm. The wood has lost any glossy varnish to remain in its bare color, with knots, grains, and the soft marks of use that no imitation can reproduce.

→ Its narrow depth. 36 cm is enough to place it where other consoles don't fit, and its length of 150 cm gives it a serene and horizontal presence, very easy to dress.

── RESTORED IN OUR WORKSHOP IN NAVALCARNERO, MADRID ──

We have reviewed the entire structure — legs, stretchers, and carved cartouches — reinforcing the joints where time had loosened them. The surface has been cleaned and hand-sanded to leave the elm in its natural tone, respecting the remnants of the old lacquer on the carvings.

The console is firm and level, with a stable top and the wood ready for daily use. It arrives ready to take its place.

A piece selected and restored by Antique Arte y Decoración — specialized since 2015 in antique furniture, with its own workshop in Navalcarnero and serving over 3,500 families throughout Spain.

Style: Classic Chinese (Ming tradition)
Material: Elm wood
Technique: Traditional Chinese cabinetry with mortise and tenon joinery; openwork and hand-carved cartouches
Finish: Natural tone washed wood, no glossy varnish; remnants of original lacquer on carvings
Hardware: No visible hardware, joined by wood joinery
Layout: Open console table, no drawers; reinforcement stretchers under the top
Measurements: 150 cm (Width) × 36 cm (Depth) × 82.6 cm (Height)
Condition: Restored, sturdy; retains patina of use and remnants of old lacquer
Period: Contemporary, in traditional Chinese style (Ming tradition)

150 cm (Width) × 36 cm (Depth) × 82.6 cm (Height)

Free shipping to mainland Spain. Includes in-home delivery with packaging removal.