A George III mahogany and satinwood fitted knife box with a harlequin suite of English silver flatware, with a cross-banded string inlaid sloping lid and arc-en-arbalette shaped front with a silvered plaque and escutcheon, the hinged cover opening to a fitted interior with a harlequin suite of silver cutlery comprising twelve large dinner knives, ten entree knives, six butter knives, six fruit knives, six dinner forks, six table spoons, a ladle and a carving fork, 23 cm wide, x 34 cm deep, 38 cm high
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- Mahogany - Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.
Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.
- Flatware - An alternative name for items of cutlery, principally knives, forks and spoons, now generally used to describe sets of these implements. Nowadays it is mostly used when describing cutlery made of silver and silver plate.
It is less frequently used to describe all "flat' items of tableware, so that as well as cutlery the definition includes plates.
- Satinwood - Satinwood is a dense pale gold coloured timber that was imported into Britain in the second half of the 18th century, and early 19th centuries from the East Indies and the West Indies. The name derives from the satin-like surface sheen when the timber is polished.
It was used in the solid, as a veneer and in inlays. As well as furniture, satinwood was used for making musical instruments, barometers, boxes and clocks.
It will usually be found on only the very best quality objects, presumably because of of its cost at the time.
- George Iii - George III (1738 - 1820) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820.
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