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BAGGOTT & CO

Tel: +44 (0)1556 509270

Email: [email protected]

https://www.decorativecollective.com/dealers/baggott-co

Item Details

A rosewood Tunbridge ware box
The hinged lid with tessellated inlaid border and central floral mosaic, opens to paper lined interior.
English, circa 1870-1900


Tunbridge ware is the collective term given to a form of decorative inlaid woodwork in which small pieces of different coloured woods are used to form a mosaic or geometric pattern. As its name suggests, the technique was developed in the historic Kent town of Tunbridge Wells from the mis 18th century.


Tessellated mosaic was by far the most complicated, intricate, and desirable of the three and involved using minute tiles to form a pictorial design of geometric pattern. Up to 40 different woods were used to create the various colours and grains. The most interesting being the colour green which was created by taking wood from fallen oak trees infected with the fungus Chlorociboria aeruginascens - you can see the green tiles used in the lid of this box.

  • Period: English, circa 1880
    • Price: £295.00
    • €338 Euro
    • $398 US Dollar
  • Location: Scotland
    • Dimensions: H: 6cm (2.36in)
    • W: 15cm (5.91in)
    • D: 15cm (5.91in)