Antiques M.S. Rau | Caribbean Marquetry Games Table

An Array Of Exotic Caribbean And South American Woods Are Featured In This Exceptional 19Th-Century West Indian Games Table. Evocative Of The Designs Of The Great Scottish Furniture Maker Ralph Turnbull, The Table Is Beautiful In Both Design And Construction, Exhibiting The Perfect Blend Of Imported English Styles With A Distinctly Caribbean Decorative Design. Its Light And Functional Silhouette Reflects The English Influence Of The Period; However, Its Timber Betrays Its Caribbean Origins, Incorporating Rare Examples Of Brazilian Tulipwood, Coconut Wood, Bitternut, Palm, Fustic, Greenheart, Purpleheart, Bulletwood And Goncalo Alves, Among Many Other Timbers.

The History Of The British West Indies Spans Over 300 Years; During That Period, A Number Of Islands In The Caribbean Sea Came Under The Power Of The British Crown. Sugar Dominated The Caribbean Economies During The 18Th And 19Th Centuries, And Many English Businessmen Made Their Fortunes There. While Many Brought Their Own Furniture From England, Settlers Soon Realized That These Furnishings Did Not Fare Well In The Tropical Locale, As They Were Susceptible To The Ravages Of Heat, Humidity, Termites And Woodworms. These Merchants Soon Commissioned Local Craftsmen To Create Furnishings Based Upon Then-Current European Decorative Styles Utilizing Indigenous Timbers. This Trend Gave Rise To The Category Of Uniquely Caribbean Furniture With A Clear English Air To Which This Table Belongs.

Circa 1830

30 1/8″ Wide X 18 7/8″ Deep X 29 1/8″ High