| There are other woods that are widely used besides | | | | It is a hard heavy West Indian wood, of a dark |
| these oak, walnut, mahogany and satinwood. Let us | | | | brown colour with black markings. It was used |
| have a look at these uncommon woods and their | | | | occasionally as a veneer, but was principally made |
| appearances and their uses in our daily life. | | | | into bowls and cups, and similar pieces. Maple. The |
| While oak, walnut, mahogany and satinwood are | | | | American 'bird's eye' maple has small markings all over |
| recognized by most people, and one or more of | | | | its yellow-brown surface, and was popular during the |
| them is present in almost every home, there are a | | | | nineteenth century. It was used particularly for |
| large number of other woods used by | | | | veneering picture frames, but is found also on |
| cabinet-makers in the past that are not so easily | | | | furniture. |
| identified. To describe them in words so that they | | | | Rosewood |
| can be named positively is not possible, but a general | | | | It is an East Indian wood with a close grain and |
| indication of their appearance and uses may be | | | | distinctive blackish lines on a brown ground. Although |
| helpful. | | | | it was in use during the eighteenth century, it |
| Amboynas | | | | became widely popular during the nineteenth both as |
| A wood from the West Indies with a distinctive burr, | | | | a veneer and in the solid when it was imported also |
| looking like closely curled hairs over the light brown | | | | from Brazil. It is a heavy timber, and chairs made |
| surface. It was used in the form of veneer. | | | | from it are often found to have been broken from |
| Cedar | | | | their own weight when carried. |
| The harder varieties of this wood, known as Red | | | | Yew |
| Cedar, were used for making the linings of drawers in | | | | The familiar tree of English churchyards makes a |
| some better-quality eighteenth- and | | | | wood of a medium brown colour used sometimes in |
| nineteenth-century furniture. It is not to be confused | | | | the solid and also for veneers. Furniture using either |
| with the spongy open-grained cedar used for making | | | | type is much sought after, and when found is usually |
| cigar-boxes, which it resembles in sharing the same | | | | expensive. |
| pleasant smell. | | | | Papier-mache |
| Ebony | | | | This material, an imitation of wood, was made in |
| A black wood of very closes grain and heavy in | | | | England from the second half of the eighteenth |
| weight, which was popular for veneering at the end | | | | century. The more usual method of making it was to |
| of the seventeenth century. Later, it was used in | | | | stick layers of paper together and leave them to |
| inlay and especially for the dark lines in stringing. | | | | dry, either flat or in moulds. The article was rubbed |
| Elm | | | | down until smooth and then painted several times |
| Somewhat similar in appearance to oak, this wood | | | | and decorated; each layer of paint was baked gently |
| was in use during the seventeenth century and later. | | | | in an oven to harden the coat and produce the final |
| It is as hard as oak, but it tends to twist with age | | | | high gloss. Trays and tea-caddies were among the |
| and is susceptible to woodworm. | | | | earliest articles made from papier-mache, but during |
| Hare wood | | | | the nineteenth century small tables, chairs and even |
| The veneer of the sycamore, stained a grey colour, | | | | bedsteads, were also produced. |
| was called 'hare wood' in the eighteenth century. It | | | | In the above we can know how these woods |
| has pleasing rippled markings, and was popular either | | | | appear and how they can be helpful. Some of these |
| as a veneer or for use in inlaying. | | | | are more expensive than those oak, walnut, |
| Lignum vitae | | | | mahogany and satinwoods. |