The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Albert Constantine and Son, Inc.                                              

Title:               Wood samples

Dates:             ca.1940-1950

Call No.:         Col. 624

Acc. No.:         01x115

Quantity:        1 box

Location:        18 J 3

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Albert Constantine and Son, Inc. was founded in 1812.  The company sold veneers, cabinet woods, inlays, plywood, hardware, finishing and upholstery supplies, tools, and other items needed by woodworkers.  The company is now located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and uses the name Constantines Wood Center.  It still supplies wood, sample packs of veneers, tools, adhesives, and other items needed by woodworkers.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

A collection of samples of wood veneers from Albert Constantine and Son, Inc., in a box marked with the company name.  The company sold these samples to woodworkers to aid them in selecting appropriate woods for their projects.  The samples are marked with a label giving the common name.  Sometimes the botanical name and the country of origin are also included on the label.  There are several different styles of labels, with different addresses on them, indicating that the samples were collected over a period of time.  Among the kinds of woods included in the collection are walnuts, satinwood, purpleheart, mahoganies, rosewoods, cherries, maples, zebrawood, and many others from North and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The samples are in alphabetical order by common name.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The labels are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Palinurus Antiquarian Books.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Constantines Wood Center.

            Wood - Identification.

            Samples.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 18 J 3

 

 

Common name (as given)          Latin name (if given)                  where from (if given)

 

African mahogany

African walnut

American beech                        Sagus apropunicea

Ash                                                                                          England (3 samples)

Ash                                                                                          USA

Avodire

Avodire                                    Africana bingeria                       Africa

Bella Rosa                                Anisoptera thusisera                  The Philippines

BeninAfrica                          Lovea klaineana

Black bean                                                                               The Philippines

Blackwood                               Adacia melonoxylon                 Australia

Brazilian Rosewood                                                                  (partial sample)

Bubinga

Bubinga                                    Brachystegia                             Africa

Canaletta                                                                                  South America

Caucasian Walnut                                                                     Caucasian

Ceylon Satinwood

Cherry, African                                                                         (2 samples)

Cherry, American                     Prunus serotina

Circassian Walnut

Coco wood

Cocobola                                                                                 Nicaragua

East India Rosewood                                                                (partial sample)

Fiddleback Mahogany

Framiere                                   Terminalia worensis                  Africa

Goncalo alves                                                                           Brazil (two samples)

Holly                                        Ilex azuifolium                           USA

Impuya                                                                                     Brazil

Ipe                                                                                           Brazil

Kelobra                                    Enterolobium cyclocoarpum      Mexico

Limba                                       “Korina”                                   Africa

Lacewood

Lacewood, or Silky Oak          Cardwellia sublimis                   Australia

Macassar Ebony

Mahogany                                Khaya                                      Africa (3 samples)

Mahogany                                Swietenia                                  Mexico

Maple, Curly                            Acer saccharinum                     USA

Marnut                                                                                     Brazil

Myrtle                                      Umbellularia californica USA

Myrtle burl

Narra                                       Pterocarpus indicus                   The Philippines

Oak                                         Quercus robur pedunculata       England

Oak                                         Quercus alba                            USA

Oriental Walnut

Oriental Wood (walnut)           Endiandra palmerstoni               Northern Queensland, Australia

Padauk                                     Pterocarpus dalbergiodes          Andaman Island

Padouk, or Vermillion

Paldao                                      Artocarpus lakoocha                The Philippines

Poplar                                      Liriodendron tulipifera               USA

Piqua                                        cedar family                              Africa

Platina                                                                                      The Philippines

Prima Vera

Purple Heart                             Peltogyne paniculata                 Dutch Guiana

Purpleheart

Quartered sliced Gum                                                               USA

Rosewood                                Dalbergia                                  Brazil

Rosewood                                Dalbergia latifolia                      East India

Royal Tarton                                                                            Australia

Sapele

Satinewood                              Chloroxylon swietenia               Ceylon

Sepeli                                       Entandrophragma utile              Africa

Sycamore                                 Platanus occidentalis                 USA

Walnut                                     Juglan rigra                               France

Walnut, black                           Juglans nigra                             North America

Walnut, butts                            Juglans nigra                             USA

White Elm, or Prinze wood       Ulmus americana                      USA

White Maple                            Acer saccharinum                     USA

Yellow Walnut                                                                          Australia

Zebra Wood

Zebrano                                   Cynometra                               West coast of Africa