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Lot Essay
The practice of using laburnum as a late 17th and early 18th Century cabinet wood has been the subject of an informative article by Dr. Adam Bowett ('Myths of English Furniture History: Laburnum Wood Furniture', Antique Collecting, June 1998, pp. 20-23). It would appear that, from the documentary evidence supplied by Dr. Bowett, the use of laburnum was restricted mainly to Scotland. Thomas Hamilton, 6th Earl of Haddington (d. 1735) noted 'Was it large enough to be sawn into planks, it would make charming tables' (Forest Trees, circa 1732-1735).
The use of laburnum in England has not been recorded in inventories of cabinet-makers stock or early authorities on the use of cabinet woods. It appears that there were two types of timber used for cabinet-work of this period that are often confused with laburnum - kingwood, known as princeswood until about 1740 and cocus wood - sometimes known as Jamaica or West Indian ebony. It was most often used as an oyster-veneer and also for making musical instruments. Dr. Bowett points out that it was used also in long strips to produce a striped effect, an example of this can be seen on the card-table in the Victoria & Albert Museum (Bowett, op. cit., p. 22, fig. 6).
The use of laburnum in England has not been recorded in inventories of cabinet-makers stock or early authorities on the use of cabinet woods. It appears that there were two types of timber used for cabinet-work of this period that are often confused with laburnum - kingwood, known as princeswood until about 1740 and cocus wood - sometimes known as Jamaica or West Indian ebony. It was most often used as an oyster-veneer and also for making musical instruments. Dr. Bowett points out that it was used also in long strips to produce a striped effect, an example of this can be seen on the card-table in the Victoria & Albert Museum (Bowett, op. cit., p. 22, fig. 6).