WOODS USED IN ANTIQUE FURNITURE MAKING

Amboyna

Amboyna is a rare pale wood imilar to burr walnut. Amboyna has been used in furniture making since the 18th century.

Beech Wood

Beech was often used from the 17th century for creating frames for upholstered furniture such as chairs.

Beech is a pale brown wood, almost white.

Chestnut

Chestnut is a beautiful brown wood which can vary in shade from light to dark brown. Chestnut wood was extremely popular in French furniture making.

Ebony

Ebony is an extremely dark, almost black wood which was particularly popular in some Victorian furniture.

Elm

Elm is a light brown wood which is classed as hard wood. Elm was popular in making Windsor chairs.

Mahogany

Mahogany was very popular with cabinet makers, which is not surprising as it has a beautiful, rich golden colour.

Victorian mahogany furniture can often be recognised by its red hue as the Victorians tended to colour it in the polish.

Maple

Maple is a pale wood wihich was often used in American furniture. Maple was fashionable in Europe throughout the early 19th century.

Oak

Oak is probably the oldest wood used throughout Europe. Oak has been used since the Middle Ages and is a very dark, hard wood.

Olive

Olive is a greenish-yellowish wood which was used around the 17th century in parquetry and oyster work.

Pine

Pine is a relatively common wood as it is quite soft and easy to grow. It was and still is used for drawer linings and cheap furniture. In the 19th century, pine furniture was often painted.

Rosewood

Rosewood was fashionable during the Regency period. It is characterised by its reddish colour and almost black streaks.

Satinwood

Satinwood is a yellow wood popular during the 18th century with cabinet makers.

Walnut

Walnut became fashionable from around 1660. Before 1690, solid walnut was used but later was used in veneers. Burr walnut is distinguishable by its unusual markings.

Yew

Yew is a reddish brown hard wood which was used in the best British furniture of the 17th and 18th centuries.