British Colonial 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 four specimen exotic woods including ebony, satinwood, mahogany and cedarwood. The edges of the overhanging top are carved with gadrooning and beneath is a carved and pierced floral apron. The table is raised on four solid and carved ebony supports that are joined into an ebony pedestal base with gadrooning on the edges and four reeded feet.
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: 76 cm W & D: 92 cm
H: 30” W & D: 36”
