Antique Box Guide

Often confused with Thuya wood or Burr Walnut, Amboyna is a profusely burred wood that is a part of the Pterocarpus genus, most commonly obtained from the Narra Tree (Pterocarpus indicus), and is native to Southeastern Asia, Northern Australasia, and the Western Pacific Ocean islands. The name Amboyna is derived from the Ambon Islands in Indonesia, where it is believed that this wood was first sourced and exported.

Due to its attractive figuring, Amboyna is a particularly rare and desirable wood for furniture and box manufacturing; within a single piece, its figuring can be quite diverse, from tight clusters of burrs to lighter, flowing and rippled areas that appear almost three-dimensional. Amboyna’s colour characteristics can range from a yellowy-honey colour to an almost reddish Mahogany colour.

Amboyna veneer from an antique jewellery box.

Amboyna veneer from an antique jewellery box.

Antique Jewellery Box in Amboyna.

Amboyna veneer from an antique jewellery box by Howell, James & Co.

Antique Jewellery Box in Amboyna, by Howell, James & Co.