A FINE POLYCHROME LACQUER RECTANGULAR TABLE17th century Finely incised and coloured in varying shades of red, green and burnt amber shading to black, the large rectangular top depicting a central shaped cartouche decorated with a flock of long-tailed birds hovering above a shrub issuing flowering peonies, pomegranates and magnolias, all above a large pitted rock, the straight edges decorated with geometric designs above the recessed waist defined by reticulated narrow panels, all above a cusped, shaped and barbed apron depicting a continuous scroll of blossoming lotus and peonies, the design continuing onto the four curling legs ending in upturned acanthus feet connected by rectangular stretchers. 58cm (22 3/4in) high x 95cm (37 1/2in) wide x 63cm (24 3.4in) deep. 十七世紀 填漆花鳥紋帶托泥供桌 pare with a related red lacquer kang table, decorated with clouds, bats and wan symbols, early Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Theplete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (I) , Hong Kong, 2002, p.182, no.155. See also a related small brown kang table, 16th century, with an incised and coloured design of dragons on the top, illustrated by Lee Yu-kuan, Oriental Lacquer Art , New York and Tokyo, 1972, p.321. See also a huanghuali table, of similar shape, Ming dynasty, illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Connoisseur of Chinese Furniture , vol.2, Hong Kong, 1990, p.64, no.B6. The design of flowers and birds on the present lot, appears to be related to woodblock prints of flowers and birds, such as in the Jiezi yuan huazhuan (Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting), circa 1679, and the Shizhuzhai shuhua pu (Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting), published by Hu Zhengyan (1584-1674) and printed between 1619 and 1633. The increasing availability of illustrated woodblock printed books, including pharmaceutical literature dealing with plants and their medicinal properties helped facilitate their design on lacquer such as the present lot.