William IV Mahogany Sideboard with Lion Feet

• 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.
• William Iv - William IV was King of the United Kingdom and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837, and in English furniture design it represented the brief period between the end of the Regency period, and the beginning of the Victorian period.
• Monopodia / Monopodium - A monopodia / monopodium is a leg or support on furniture or other item, formed from the head and leg of an animal, usually a lion. This style of support became popular in the Regency period when it was used on tables, sideboards and occasionally cabinet furniture.
• Monopodia - A monopodia is a support on an item of furniture comprising an animal's head and a leg, and was in use during the Regency period in England.
• Pedestal - The columns that support many dining tables and most small occasional tables. They are usually turned, though octagonal-shaped pedestals were fashionable during the 1830s and 1840s.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• cabinets, period or style - William IV 96
• sideboards - William IV 45