Antique Chinese Huanghuali painting table. Crafted with rectangular top surmounting a plain apron flanked by scalloped spandrels forming Ruyi Pattern over the prominent legs, bridged by double stretched bars to each sides. The Huanghuali wood is dense and has been expertly polished to give a glinting sheen as the light hits the surface. Measurements: Height:34" Width:70 3/4" Depth:20 3/4" Lot Notes:Huanghuali, or "yellow flowering pear" wood, is a rare species of rosewood, mainly produced in Hainan province and once adorned imperial abodes. It is botanically classified as Dalbergia odorifera. Huanghuali has witnessed a sharp price rise in recent years due to increased demand and limited supply. The volume of new huanghuali wood originating in Hainan is so small it has now been placed under State protection and might risk going extinct. Originally know as huali or hualu, the modifier huang (yellowish-brown) was added in the early twentieth century to describe old huali wood whose surfaces had mellowed to a yellowish tone due to long exposure to light. The color can range from reddish-brown to golden-yellow. Historical references point to Hainan Island as the main source of huali. However, variations in the color, figure, and density suggest similar species sourced throughout North Vietnam, Guangxi, Indochina and the other isles of the South China Sea. The sweet fragrance of huali distinguishes it from the similar appearing but pungent-odored hongmu. The finest huanghuali has a translucent shimmering surface with abstractly figured patterns that delight the eye. Those appearing like 'ghost faces' were highly prized.