Something Old, Something New

As a collector, it gives me great pleasure to use something that has been around a very long time and is still functional. For instance, the other day I moved an old Chinese scholar's desk (mid-19th century) into my office and chucked the drop-leaf table I had been using. The "new" to me desk scores major points on patina and mellowness and has some remaining red lacquer on its front and legs. The top has a few water marks, looks like a burn mark and even a good scratch. Despite its wounds, the desk has been cared for. Structurally it is very sound. So, here I sit typing this at a desk that traveled half way around the world from Shanxi province, China. The questions about the desk are endless...How many people have sat at it and what did they do in their daily lives? Did a wise thinker use it or a merchant? How many homes did it have? It's like being part of a chain and I'm just the latest link. Sherry