A matching pair
An interesting commission was offered to me some years ago by a valued client. The task was to build and copy a Regency side table which the client had purchased, in order to create a pair. The table was veneered in beautiful Brazilian rosewood which had faded in parts, to a warm tobacco colour. It's supports were of X- form construction, a feature often found in quality occasional pieces from this period.
It was necessary to source suitable veneer for the job, and eventually a specialist in the UK was able to provide the perfect solution - a complete pack of 14 consecutively cut sheets of 1.5 mm sawn cut Brazilian rosewood. A rare find indeed, as this species of wood was soon to become a prohibited import. (Sawn cut veneer has superior colour and grain density compared to rotary cut or sliced veneer, as these qualities are often compromised owing to the necessity of pre-soaking and steaming logs prior to slicing.)
This was a huge advantage in matching the figure and colour of the veneer on the original table. Apart from the feet and applied mouldings, all surfaces were veneered.
After many hours of construction , pressing, turning, carving, colour matching and polishing , the table was completed to the client's satisfaction. A later insurance valuation noted, " pair of Regency rosewood side tables ". Just what the client had ordered.
