Satinwood, with its distinctive golden-yellow hue and silky lustre, became one of the most fashionable timbers for English furniture in the late 18th century. Imported from the West and East Indies, as well as later from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and the West African coast, satinwood was valued for its fine grain, ability to take polish, and luminous effect, which added lightness and elegance to neoclassical interiors.
Origins and Trade
Early shipments of satinwood arrived in England from the Caribbean during the 1760s, though supplies were often irregular due to colonial wars and restricted trade. By the 1780s and 1790s, larger and more reliable imports made it widely available, particularly from Ceylon and later Sierra Leone. Its brilliant colouring and smooth surface made it ideal for both solid furniture and for crossbanding, stringing, and veneering.
Decorative Qualities
Satinwood was often used in conjunction with other timbers to create contrast. It lent itself beautifully to painted and inlaid decoration, with delicate motifs of flowers, urns, and classical ornament popular in the late Georgian and Regency periods. Veneered satinwood could also display striking figures such as:
-
Striped Satinwood – showing the timber’s natural parallel figuring, used to striking effect on cabinet doors and table tops.
-
Pomelle Satinwood – a more irregular, dappled figuring, rare and prized for its shimmering effect.
Makers and Styles
Leading English cabinetmakers embraced satinwood to express the neoclassical style. George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton both illustrated satinwood pieces in their design books, while Gillows of Lancaster and London made refined tables, cabinets, and chairs in solid and veneered satinwood. Painted satinwood furniture, sometimes attributed to the workshops of Sédley, Seddon, and others, epitomised late Georgian taste, combining elegance with decorative artistry.
Legacy
Satinwood enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1780s through the Regency period, when its light-reflective surfaces harmonised with neoclassical architecture and interior design. It was especially favoured for delicate ladies’ work tables, writing desks, card tables, and cabinets. Today, satinwood furniture is admired for its elegance, rarity, and the warm glow that only centuries of patina can produce.
