Chinese 19th C. Qing Dynasty period, Huanghuali Hardwood table. Square huanghuali table with beautiful grain structure. Wide square frame with a thumb-grooved edge above the waist. Connecting each leg is a rectangular plaque apron that is angled upward in the midsection. The frame is supported on four prominent cubed legs with blocky footings. The wood has a translucent glistening surface with natural patterns that please the eye. Some grain structures may be likened to the shape of ghost faces.Measurements: Height:33 7/8" Width:33 1/2" Depth:33 1/2" 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 Historical references point to Hainan Island as the main source of huali.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.