Rare Regency Ceylonese Rosewood Marquetry Specimen Woods Centre Table in the Manner of Thomas Hope (c. 1830 Ceylon)

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Rosewood marquetry

89.00cm wide    74.00cm high    66.00cm deep (35.04 inches wide  29.13 inches high  25.98 inches deep)

The table is of historical interest due to the question of who was responsible for its production. It was possibly made by an English manufacturer of the day, based in India, using the influences of Thomas Hope's designs from his published book of 1807, 'HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE AND INTERIOR DECORATION'. Perhaps the item was commissioned by a colonial who knew of England's Fashionable Regency Style and in fact had some hand in the overall design, wishing to bring the piece back to the UK after his service in the British Empire as a trophy/memento. If that was the case then the table could have been made by the Ceylonese furniture makers who were proficient in specialist techniques such as relief carving, inlaying woods, ivory and metal.

The some of the specimen woods have been relaid. Revived and re-waxed for the intended high gloss finish.

The top has been made from nine specimen woods and cut at various degrees and/or sections of the tree. This offers different grains and patterns creating the desired effect. The base is made from Indian Rosewood with inlay of Amboyna (Burr) to the stretcher.
Specimen woods used:- Pink Ivory, Olive, Padauk, Macassar Ebony, Indian Rosewood, Amboyna (Burr), Muhuhu, Panga Panga (Palm), Idigbo