Bedside Table Made With Ancient Wood Italy 20th Century

Silver Fir

Soft coniferous wood, used for rustic furniture or to build the chest, that is the structure, of furniture then veneered in more precious woods. It has been used since ancient times, its most valuable use is, in the Spruce variant, in the inlays of French antique furniture of the '700 . The spruce, more typical of northern Europe, in Italy grows mainly in the Eastern Alps at altitudes above 1300 m. The noblest use of this essence was in the construction of violins, guitars and cellos: Stradivari himself produced his famous violins with this wood.

Maple

Hard, light wood used for inlays. It grows mainly in Austria, but it is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere, from Japan to North America, passing through China and Europe. It is one of the lightest woods ever, tending to white, it is similar to lime or birch wood. The briar is used in the production of ancient secretaires .

Walnut

Walnut wood comes from the plant whose botanical name is juglans regia , probably originally from the East but very common in Europe. Light or dark brown in color, it is a hard wood with a beautiful grain, widely used in antique furniture. It was the main essence in Italy throughout the Renaissance and later had a good diffusion in Europe, especially in England, until the advent of mahogany. It was used for solid wood furniture and sometimes carvings and inlays, its only big limitation is that it suffers a lot from woodworm. In France it was widely used more than anything else in the provinces. In the second half of the eighteenth century its use decreased significantly because mahogany and other exotic woods were preferred.

Poplar

Essence considered "poor", it is a white wood, with yellowish or greyish shades, light and tender, which is easily damaged. It is used for rustic furniture or in the construction of furniture. The most valuable use it has had in the history of furniture is in Germany, in the 19th century, for veneers and inlays in the Biedermeier period.

Olive

Extracted from the plant called olea europaea which lives in all the Mediterranean lands, it is a hard and compact wood. It has a characteristic light color, greenish yellow, with particular dark veins. It is widely used in cabinet making both as a solid wood for entire furniture, and for inlays, veneers and decorations. As it is very hard, it is also suitable for round work and for the manufacture of small objects.