Satinwood Antique Furniture Collections

14 products

14 products
Ince & Mayhew – Satinwood Marquetry Cabinet on Chest, George III, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Ince & Mayhew – Satinwood Marquetry Cabinet on Chest, George III
Ince & Mayhew – Satinwood Marquetry Cabinet on Chest
Set of ten French Charles X period satinwood and mahogany side chairs with lyre splat backs – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Ten French Antique Satinwood Side Chairs – Charles X Period, circa 1825, mahogany and brass
Ten French Antique Satinwood Side Chairs – Charles X Period
Set of 12 Satinwood Klismos dining chairs with cane seats and ebony detailing in classic style – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the set of 6 Satinwood Klismos Dining Chairs, ebony, photographed from another angle
Set of 6 Satinwood Klismos Dining Chairs
Georges Jacob Satinwood Side Table, circa 1780, marble, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Georges Jacob Satinwood Side Table, circa 1780, marble, photographed from another angle
Georges Jacob Satinwood Side Table
Victorian Satinwood Writing Table by Gillow & Co, 19th-century, brass, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Victorian Satinwood Writing Table by Gillow & Co, 19th-century, brass
Victorian Satinwood Writing Table by Gillow & Co
French Directoire Satinwood Secretaire Abattant, circa 1800, rosewood and brass, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the French Directoire Satinwood Secretaire Abattant, circa 1800, rosewood and brass
French Directoire Satinwood Secretaire Abattant
Rare Late 17th Century Inlaid Satinwood and Ebony Coffer on Stand, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Rare Late 17th Century Inlaid Satinwood and Ebony Coffer on Stand
Rare Late 17th Century Inlaid Satinwood and Ebony Coffer on Stand
Indo Dutch Solid Satinwood and ebony side table, 19th-century, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Indo Dutch Solid Satinwood and ebony side table, 19th-century
Indo Dutch Solid Satinwood and ebony side table
Four satinwood stools with rounded slatted design, usable as stools or end tables – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Satinwood Stools Available in Pairs, ebony, by Andrew Allfree
Satinwood Stools Available in Pairs
Burr Amboyna and Satinwood Pedestal, Wright & Mansfield, Victorian, marquetry, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Burr Amboyna and Satinwood Pedestal | Wright & Mansfield
Traditional satinwood long bench with barley twist legs and caned seat, modern height 45 cm – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Satinwood Barley Twist Long Bench, photographed from another angle
Satinwood Barley Twist Long Bench
George III Sheraton Satinwood Occasional Table, 18th-century, ebony, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the George III Sheraton Satinwood Occasional Table, 18th-century, ebony
George III Sheraton Satinwood Occasional Table
A Rare George III Satinwood Pole Screen with Silk Embroidered Panel, circa 1780, shown in full – Nicholas Wells Antiques
Alternative view of the Rare George III Satinwood Pole Screen with Silk Embroidered Panel, circa 1780
A Rare George III Satinwood Pole Screen with Silk Embroidered Panel
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Thomas Weeks Satinwood Regency Period Personal Mechanical Weighing Scales, 18th-century, ebony and kingwood
Thomas Weeks Satinwood Regency Period Personal Mechanical Weighing Scales
£POA

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.
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