Regency Rosewood Work Table with Lyre Supports

• Rosewood - A dense timber that varies in shade to very light brown to almost black. When rosewood is cut and sanded the colour of the timber will turn black, and after polishing and exposure to daylight, the surface will gradually lighten over time to light brown with black streaks.
  
  The name comes from the odour emanating from the timber when it is planed, sanded or cut.
  
  Rosewood was very popular for use in Victorian furniture in the second half of the 19th century, and at that time most of the rosewood was imported from Brazil. However it also grows in India and Indonesia.
  
  It is used in the sold for chairs and table legs, but for carcase furniture such as side cabinets and bookcases, and for table tops it is always used as a veneer.
• Provenance - A term used to describe the provable history of an antique or work of art, and thus an additional aid to verifying its authenticity. Provenance can have an inflating effect on the price of an item, particularly if the provenance relates to the early settlement of Australia, a famous person, or royalty. Less significant are previous sales of the item through an auction house or dealer.
• Lyre - Attributed to the 18th century designer Robert Adam, the back splat of a chair or sthe supports of a table are in the form of a lyre, a Greek musical instrument similar to a harp.
  
  In shape it resembles two reversed scrolls.
  
  Chairs continued to be made in this style for at least the next fifty years.
  
  In Australia many cedar chairs and tables have survived dating to the 1830s and 1840s, featuring the lyre shape in the back splats and as supports for small tables.
• Frieze - An architectural term denoting the flat, shaped or convex horizontal surface of furniture, between the architrave and the cornice, usually found on a cabinet or bookcase, or on desks and tables where it may include drawers, the area between the top and the legs. In ceramics, the term refers to the banding, of usually a repeating pattern, on the rims of plates and vases.
• Lyre Motif - The lyre motif is an ancient decorative design that is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where the lyre was a popular musical instrument. The lyre itself was often decorated with ornate carvings and designs, including the iconic lyre motif.
  
  In ancient Greek mythology, the lyre was associated with the god Apollo, who was the patron of music and the arts. The lyre was said to have been invented by the god Hermes, who presented it to Apollo as a gift. As a result, the lyre became a symbol of creativity, inspiration, and artistic expression.
  
  The lyre motif typically features a curved or S-shaped body, with strings extending upwards from the base. The motif was often used in architectural decoration, as well as on pottery, jewellery, and other decorative objects.
• Regency Period - The Regency period in English furniture design refers to the period when King George III, was declared unfit to rule in 1811, and his son ruled as proxy as Prince Regent, until 1820, and then, after the death of his father as George IV until his death in 1830. The Regency period was preceded by the Georgian period (George I, George II, and George III: 1714 - 1811), and was followed by the William IV period, which only lasted until 1837 when William IV died as was succeeded by Queen Victoria.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• tables, purpose or type - sewing and work 362
• tables, small, period or style - Regency 77