A commanding pair of hand-carved hardwood table bases featuring expressive koi or mythological fish rising upright from squared plinths. Their highly detailed features—arched tails, deeply incised scales, fan-like fins, and stylized expressions—create an incredible sense of movement and artistry.
Likely crafted for export during the late 19th to early 20th century, the forms draw on both Eastern and Western design language. The koi, long revered in Chinese symbolism as icons of prosperity, endurance, and transformation, are paired here with a dramatic sculptural presence that evokes Victorian maximalism.
These bases are versatile in application—ideal as supports for a custom marble or glass dining table, or used separately as twin console tables...
Category
Late 19th Century Chinese Export Antique Unknown Furniture