Elm Altar Table From Shanxi - 19th Century Oriental The brass hinges and lock

The brass hinges and lock plates are shaped as butterflies

Likely to be doors to the tribal leaders' homes

This Jackfruit mortar comes from the Kulu valley in Himachal Pradesh it was used for pounding millet the staple food of the region

sides and back with traditional Rajasthani symbols and depicts four of the main Hindu gods in the front panels

Elm Altar Table From Shanxi - 19th Century Oriental The brass hinges and lockThis Chinese Ming style altar table dates from the 19th Century and was once covered in a burgundy lacquer. It is constructed from a single plank of thick northern elm wood (yumu). Much of the lacquer has worn away over the years leaving a pleasing patchy rustic look. We have sensitively restored this piece conserving its original finish. Altar tables were used for ancestor worship in China. Usually, a family ancestor portrait would be hung above the