Low Elm Daybed

Hand-carved of Chinese northern elmwood (yumu), this 19th-century daybed was once a cornerstone of daily life in a provincial Chinese home. Known as "ta," this style of low-lying daybed was used throughout the courtyard home as a portable surface for reclining, playing games, and gathering for food and drink. The low daybed rests on sturdy, round corner legs banded with wrap-around stretchers carved to resemble strips of bent bamboo. Recently refinished to a dark brown, the bed anchors interiors as a low seat or large coffee table.