Gnarled Prunus Wrist Rest with Toad and Blossom

An unusual hardwood wrist rest, 19th/20th century, the dark…
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An unusual hardwood wrist rest, 19th/20th century, the dark wood probably zitan, carved in the form of a gnarled section of a prunus trunk with a blossoming branch extending from one side below a three legged toad in high relief climbing up the side, the wood with attractive dark patina, fitted box, 23 cm long

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  • Patination / Patina - In broad terms, patination refers to the exterior surface appearance of the timber, the effect of fading caused by exposure to sunlight and air over the course of a century or more, changing the piece to a soft, mellow colour.

    As patina is very difficult to replicate, it is one of the most important guides to determining the age of furniture.

    Patina is also the term applied to the bloom or film found on old bronzes due to oxidisation.
  • Zitan Wood - Zitan is the most expensive, and since ancient times, has been considered the most precious of woods.

    Zitan wood is the hardest and heaviest of all hardwoods. It is purplish-black to black in colour, and with a grain so dense it is virtually invisible.

    Zitan can usually only be obtained in quite narrow strips and so it is rare to find large pieces of furniture made from this wood. True Chinese rosewood is a variety of zitan and is very rare.

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