466 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



December, 1907 



fixed, but the nationality of the workers as well. Upon these 

 the collector may be said to rely for his information, and 

 they are quite infallible aids. Strangely enough, though, the 



Tortoise Shell Screen on Teakwood Base 



stances. Teak is found only in the forests of Eastern and 

 Southern Asia, nearly the entire produce being under the 

 control of Great Britain, and when some years ago it was 



Old Chinese Porcelain Bowl on Teakwood Stand "1 



patterns themselves are far less useful than the workmanship, 

 for from hand to hand the designs have been spread until 

 generally toned down, added to here and there, and taken 

 from as the carver willed, 

 there was little to show 

 what the original had been 

 save a general semblance (y^ 

 in all the work which can 

 but be noticed. 



The value placed upon 

 teakwood is very high, 

 though it is true that mod- 

 ern furniture is far less 

 valued than the antique. 

 An owner of a yacht re- 

 cently paid one thousand 

 dollars for teakwood floor- 

 ing for his yacht, which 

 is by no means an exorbit- 

 ant price under the circum- Teakwood. and 



found that the trees were rapidly becon\ing exterminated by 

 the tremendous exportations and the carelessness of the men 

 whose business it was to fit the wood for market, the govern- 

 ment promptly took the 

 matter into consideration. 

 Teakwood was much used 

 in the construction of war 

 vessels, and its loss meant 

 a serious one to the gov- 

 ernment, which could find 

 nothing that would so well 

 fill its place. Its exporta- 

 tion was immediately for- 

 bidden to a certain degree, 

 so that the supply was 

 practically in the hands of 

 the government. 



Teakwood is very hard, 

 and is sometimes wrongly 

 Tortoise Shell called ironwood. 



Bronze Incense Burner on Teakwood 

 Pedestal 



Jade Plaque on Teakwood 

 Base 



Rock Salt Embedded in 

 Teakwood 



