AN ANGLO-INDIAN EBONY AND SPECIMEN WOOD OCCASIONAL TABLE

The natural abundance of Ceylon, as perceived by Europe, gave rise to the production of many and various pieces of furniture containing specimen woods, such as the above lot. This technique within Ceylon was distinctive to the Galle district, though the designs are parallel to those of other timber-rich colonies such as New Zealand and Jamaica, and of Tunbridge Ware in England (see A. Jaffer, Furniture from British India and Ceylon, 2001, pp. 368-373).