James I / Charles I Yew-Wood Table with Serpent-Carved Friezes

An exceptionally rare early 17th-century yew-wood table, of rectangular form on four turned legs joined by a peripheral stretcher, the friezes deeply carved with addorsed serpents and scrolling foliage, centred by stylised flowerheads.
Entirely constructed in solid yew, this piece is of the highest rarity. Yew was an expensive and difficult timber to work, used almost exclusively for prestigious furniture of small scale or exceptional commissions. Its glowing colour and close, silky grain are beautifully preserved here, displaying a rich amber patina developed over four centuries.
Condition: Superb colour and surface; honest wear; the rear gate and leaf now lacking (original mortises and shadowing visible beneath); structurally sound and stable.