A Zitan Convertible-Height Square Kang Table Qing Dynasty, Yongzheng Period

the square top made of five boards framed by a grooved outer edge and low waist above the cusped and beaded apron with pierced C-scroll spandrels on the corners of the squared compressed-cabriole legs with vestigial 'feet' extending above oval-sectioned double-stretchers on two sides, securing two detachable sets of paired leg extensions of circular sections, the top kang table fitting into the leg extensions with a sliding bolt on the under side, the fine grained wood of dark chestnut patina

Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: One Hundred and Three Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, pp. 80-81, no. 35.

The overall condition of the table is good. There has been overall consolidation and there are minor filled repairs to the expected splits in the legs and around some of the joints. The zitan is attractively grained and finely flecked.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Chinese cabinetmakers excelled at the production of metamorphic furniture. Folding chairs and stools, tables with hinged or removable legs of adjustable height, and hinged bed frames are just a few of many examples.

Practicality and clever engineering are found in this square table. The tall circular section legs fit into slots disguised behind short cabriole legs, allowing the table to be either low or high. The viewer’s eye is drawn to the beaded, curved apron and the join to the legs that appear as hooded terminals. The plain lower legs and apron and the straight lines of the top edge molding complement the carved decoration and curves of the short legs, making the table appear as a single unit. No hint of the dual purpose is immediately apparent.

A huanghuali table with a variation of this lower-leg mechanism in the Hung collection is illustrated in Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, pp. 122-123, no. 41.

Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts illustrate a nearly identical example to this table but made in huanghuali in Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chinese Art Foundation, San Francisco, 1995, no. 50.

Another almost identical example in huanghuali from the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The One Hundred and Thirty-One Pieces You Should Know: Huanghuali Furniture, Beijing, 2010, pl. 40.