A SMALL LINGZHI FUNGUS TABLE SCREEN, QING DYNASTYChina, 1644-1912. The dried natural fungus head is supported on a projecting fungal growth in the back, spreading out dramatically with a lobed outline, one side with an uneven surface and naturally gnarled, the native patina of a warm brown color. Two apertures drilled to the top for suspension.Provenance: From a Dutch private collection, assembled before 2007, and thence by descent.Condition: Very good condition with extensive old wear, minor losses, minuscule chips, natural age cracks, traces of use and natural dposition, allmensurate with age.Weight: 346.9 gDimensions: Height 14 cm, Width 14.5 cmLiteratureparison:A number of lingzhi fungus mounted in wood table screens are in the Imperial Collection, the largest of these, dated to the 18th century, is illustrated by Yang Xin and Zhu Chengru, in the exhibition catalog, Secret World of the Forbidden City: Splendors from China's Imperial Palace, The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, Santa Ana, California, p. 61. Another smaller fungus (21.6 cm long) mounted in a zitan table screen and dated 16th to early 17th century is illustrated by P. Moss, The Literati Mode, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1986, pp. 188-9, no. 66.Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 18 September 2003, lot 73Price: USD 10,755 or approx.EUR 17,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare lingzhi fungus table screen, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)Expert remark: Note the larger size (29.2 cm)Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2 April 2018, lot 3030Price: HKD 100,000 or approx.EUR 13,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A lingzhi fungus, Qing dynastyExpert remark: Note the larger size (32 cm)清代靈芝小桌屏中國，1644-1912年。乾燥的天然靈芝如傘狀，展現出層出不窮的年輪紋路，彎彎曲曲，宛若流雲紋理，呈現天然的暖棕色包漿。背面有兩個鑽孔並配有金屬鉤。