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

Benin – Africa 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