PRESENTING A GORGEOUS, VERY HIGH QUALITY AND RARE 19C British Coromandel, Brass with Large Jasperware Medallions Book Slide.
Probably made in England circa 1870-80, from glorious imported Coromandel wood imported from the British Empire Colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
Two hinged ends, that lift upwards to support the display of treasured books.
The outer side of each end, has beautiful brass moldings with “Celtic Cross’ motif and a large Wedgwood Jasperware circular medallion insert, which insert is set into a roped border/setting.
The piece sits on a platform plinth and one side, slides sideways to make the storage/display area greater.
Felt/baize covered base.
Not marked, but undoubtedly by a top maker!
The ‘Celtic Cross’ motif’s might indicate an Irish connection and possibly it was made for the Irish market and retailed by a fine retailer like ‘T.K. Austin’ of Dublin.
COROMANDEL WOOD: Calamander wood or Coromandel wood is a valuable wood from India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and South East Asia. It is of a hazel-brown color, with black stripes (or the other way about), very heavy and hard. It is also known as Macassar Ebony or variegated ebony and is closely related to genuine ebony, but is obtained from different species in the same genus; one of these is Diospyros quaesita Thwaites, from Sri Lanka. The name Calamander comes from the local sinhalese name, ‘kalu-medhiriya’, which means dark chamber; referring to the characteristic ebony black wood. It is used in furniture, Luthiery and for sculpture.
Coromandel wood has been logged to extinction over the last 2 to 3 hundred years and is no longer available for new work in any quantity. Furniture in coromandel is so expensive and so well looked after that even recycling it is an unlikely source. A substitute, Macassar Ebony, has similar characteristics and to the untrained eye is nearly the same but it lacks the depth of colour seen in genuine Coromandel.
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamander_wood
19C British Coromandel, Brass with Large Jasperware Medallions Book Slide.
Provenance: From a Fine Mississippi Estate. Originally acquired in the UK.
Dimensions: Closed: 7.5 inches tall, 10.5 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep
Open: 7.5 inches tall, 13.75 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep
Condition: Very good original condition. One or two very minor scuffs to wood and one very small chip to one of the medallions but nothing significant to devalue the piece.
SALE PRICE NOW: $1,500
