An unusually large coffee table, made of an exquisite, early 19th century Chinese export lacquer panel.

19th/20th century.

Why we love it

We like its broad proportions and thetastefully made conversion. The old lacquer panel, exquisitely decorated in gold leaf with scenes of court life, was repurposed in the early 20th century to form this beautiful table.

It was a common practice in the 18th century to incorporate oriental lacquer panels into furniture made in Europe. The most virtuoso of the French maître ébénistes laid the Chinese lacquer onto the most complex curvilinear surfaces.