Antique Regency Gonçalo Alves Library Writing Table C1820 19th C

This is a fabulous antique Regency Period Gonçalo Alves library table, circa 1820 in date.

The desk is crafted from  beautiful Gonçalo Alves and features a striking inset gold tooled green leather writing surface.

It has two frieze drawers with turned wood handles and is raised on leaf carved lyre supports with a stepped trestle base joined by a pole stretcher with foliate collars, on scrolled feet with inset brass castors

This writing table is a beautiful example of a free standing piece of furniture which is certain to make a statement wherever it is placed.

Condition:

In really excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 75 cm x Width 127 cm x Depth 53 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 2 foot, 5 inches x Width 4 foot, 2 inches x Depth 1 foot, 9 inches

Gonçalo Alves is a hardwood (from the Portuguese name, Gonçalo Alves). It is sometimes referred to as tigerwood — a name that underscore the wood’s often dramatic, contrasting color scheme. 

While the sapwood is very light in color, the heartwood is a sombre brown, with dark streaks that give it a unique look. The wood’s color deepens with exposure and age and even the plainer-looking wood has a natural luster.

Two species are usually listed as sources for gonçalo alves: Astronium fraxinifolium and Astronium graveolens, although other species in the genus may yield similar wood; the amount of striping that is present may vary. 

In the high tropical forests of Central and South America, well-drained soils furnish nutrients for a variety of dense, durable hardwoods sought for maritime use, heavy construction, and furniture. The Spanish began harvesting in Latin American forests in the early 1500s to provide timber for boat building and repair. By the early 1900s, however, steel ships had replaced wooden ones, and the interest in tropical forests by both Europeans and Americans shifted to appearance-grade woods for furniture.

Although history fails to provide us with a shopping list of species from either harvest period, it's probable that the wood we know today as goncalo alves has always been sought. That's because goncalo alves, considered one of the most beautiful of tropical woods, has a tough reputation, too. Strong and durable, it's used for construction in its homeland and secondarily for fine furniture. Woodworkers elsewhere treasure the wood for decorative items and veneer accents.

Our reference: A4674