British Colonial Carved Ebony & Specimen Wood Table
Late 19th centuryA rare and beautiful British colonial centre table made of ebony with an octagonal top inlaid with rays of five specimen exotic woods. These woods are ebony, satinwood, mahogany, cedarwood and coconut. The apron features a finely relief carved floral design. The top rests on four solid and carved supports. These supports are connected to a carved octagonal base made of dark- or Spanish mahogany. This base decorated with a gracious finial. The table stands on four small scrolled legs with acanthus on the knees.
The table is in good condition and has been lovingly restored and finished to its former glory using a traditional form of French polishing and waxing.
Ebony has long been prized for its dense hardness, which lends itself for beautiful carving and a smooth finish after being polished. It is considered the aristocrat of hardwoods and is native to southern India and Sri Lanka. Ebony has always been a luxury wood and was so popular in 17th century France, that “ebenistes” is still the French word for cabinet maker. Furniture pieces of lesser woods were often “ebonized” (painted black) to make them look as if made of ebony.
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Coromandel coast
British colonial India
H: 78 cm W & D: 90 cm
H: 30½” W & D: 35½”
