Antique Tunbridge Ware Desk Paperweight

19th century

Sold by Opus Antiques

Description

This is a very good 19th century Tunbridge Ware paperweight. The top is inlaid with cubes of many different specimen woods including lacewood, rosewood, walnut and palm wood. On the sides are mosaic leaf decorations. The base is lead weighted.

It measures 13.5cm w x 8cm d x 2.2cm h.

At the time this antique treen Tunbridgeware paperweight was made in Kent in the 19th century, the rest of the country were using imported timbers like mahogany, these Tunbridgeware makers were using whatever woods were available, particularly the locally grown woods such as yew, cherry, oak, holly, beech, birch and to this they would have added a few exotic woods. Some of the woods used were stained, note the square on the right hand side with black dots on is palm wood and its tubular parts took up stain very well. Sometimes holly wood was used for stringing, being boiled to get a white wood to show the contrast against other woods. Woods with greenish tinges are the cause of fungal attach on woods such as oak, birch or beech.

Physical Dimensions

Height

2.2cm (0.87")

Width

13.5cm (5.31")

Depth

8cm (3.15")

Declaration

Opus Antiques has dated this piece to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA807926

Dealers Notes

Own a piece of history

Description

This is a very good 19th century Tunbridge Ware paperweight.

“

The top is inlaid with cubes of many different specimen woods including lacewood, rosewood, walnut and palm wood.

Opus Antiques

On the sides are mosaic leaf decorations. The base is lead weighted.

fig 1. Antique Tunbridge Ware Desk Paperweight

It measures 13.5cm w x 8cm d x 2.2cm h.

At the time this antique treen Tunbridgeware paperweight was made in Kent in the 19th century, the rest of the country were using imported timbers like mahogany, these Tunbridgeware makers were using whatever woods were available, particularly the locally grown woods such as yew, cherry, oak, holly, beech, birch and to this they would have added a few exotic woods. Some of the woods used were stained, note the square on the right hand side with black dots on is palm wood and its tubular parts took up stain very well. Sometimes holly wood was used for stringing, being boiled to get a white wood to show the contrast against other woods. Woods with greenish tinges are the cause of fungal attach on woods such as oak, birch or beech.