Small Tibetan tables, especially folding tables such as this extraordinary example, are typically used for special rituals performed away from the monastery, and for monks who preferred lower tables for use in temples. The folding tables are typically constructed with peg hinges enabling them to be folded flat so they can be easily transported.
This folding table is a tour de force of Tibetan woodcarving in relief. The front panel is adorned with a flaming wish-fulfilling jewel, symbolic of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism, the Buddha (the enlightened one), the Dharma (the teachings and path to enlightenment), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners). The sacred gem rises from a lotus blossom and is flanked by dragons set against a foliate background. The side panels and apron below the detachable topboard are graced with carved and painted auspicious symbols, flowering plants, scrolling foliage, and a lotus petal border.
See David Kamansky, ed., Wooden Wonders: Tibetan Furniture in Secular and Religious Life (Pasadena: Pacific Asia Museum and Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2004), pp. 208-209, no. 33. See also M.2005.94.2a-d.
