MID-18TH CENTURY

The bureau-cabinet is veneered in cocus-wood, a hard, dense wood with a chocolate brown heart and yellow sapwood, often referred to, erroneously, as laburnum. It was imported from the West Indies and was often known as West Indian ebony. It was used as a cabinet wood between 1660-1740 and in this case the timber has been sawn lengthways to provide a decoratively striped veneer, seen to best effect on the interior where the veneer is least faded (see A. Bowett, 'Myths of English Furniture History: Laburnum Wood Furniture', Antique Collecting, June 1998, pp. 22-23). A George II cocus wood veneered china cabinet was sold anonymously Christie's, London, 14 November 2013, lot 8 (£18,750 including premium).