In Search of Mahogany : the Costs of Luxury in Early America

Main description: In the mid-eighteenth century, colonial Americans became enamored with the rich colors and silky surface of mahogany. This exotic wood, imported from the West Indies and Central America, quickly displaced local furniture woods as the height of fashion. Over the next century, consumer demand for mahogany set in motion elaborate schemes to secure the trees and transform their rough-hewn logs into exquisite objects. But beneath the polished gleam of this furniture lies a darker, hidden story of human and environmental exploitation. Mahogany traces the path of this wood through many hands, from source to sale: from the enslaved African woodcutters, including skilled 0huntsmen0 who located the elusive trees amidst dense rainforest, to the ship captains, merchants, and timber dealers who scrambled after the best logs, to the skilled cabinetmakers who crafted the wood, and with it the tastes and aspirations of their diverse clientele. As the trees became scarce, however, the search for new sources led to expanded slave labor, vicious competition, and intense international conflicts over this diminishing natural resource. When nineteenth-century American furniture makers turned to other materials, surviving mahogany objects were revalued as antiques evocative of the nation's past. Jennifer Anderson offers a dynamic portrait of the many players, locales, and motivations that drove the voracious quest for mahogany to adorn American parlors and dining rooms. This complex story reveals the cultural, economic, and environmental costs of America's growing self-confidence and prosperity, and how desire shaped not just people's lives but the natural world In The Mid-eighteenth Century, Colonial Americans Became Enamored With The Rich Colors And Silky Surface Of Mahogany. This Exotic Wood, Imported From The West Indies And Central America, Quickly Displaced Local Furniture Woods As The Height Of Fashion. Over The Next Century, Consumer Demand For Mahogany Set In Motion Elaborate Schemes To Secure The Trees And Transform Their Rough-hewn Logs Into Exquisite Objects. But Beneath The Polished Gleam Of This Furniture Lies A Darker, Hidden Story Of Human And Environmental Exploitation. Mahogany Traces The Path Of This Wood Through Many Hands, From Source To Sale: From The Enslaved African Woodcutters, Including Skilled “huntsmen” Who Located The Elusive Trees Amidst Dense Rainforest, To The Ship Captains, Merchants, And Timber Dealers Who Scrambled After The Best Logs, To The Skilled Cabinetmakers Who Crafted The Wood, And With It The Tastes And Aspirations Of Their Diverse Clientele. As The Trees Became Scarce, However, The Search For New Sources Led To Expanded Slave Labor, Vicious Competition, And Intense International Conflicts Over This Diminishing Natural Resource. When Nineteenth-century American Furniture Makers Turned To Other Materials, Surviving Mahogany Objects Were Revalued As Antiques Evocative Of The Nation's Past.--p. [2] Of Cover. A New Species Of Elegance -- The Gold Standard Of Jamaican Mahogany -- Supplying The Empire With Mahogany -- The Bitters And The Sweets Of Trade -- Slavery In The Rainforest -- Redefining Mahogany In The Early Republic -- Mastering Nature And The Challenge Of Mahogany -- Democratizing Mahogany And The Advent Of Steam -- An Old Species Of Elegance. Jennifer L. Anderson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In the mid-eighteenth century, colonial Americans became enamored with the rich colors and silky surface of mahogany. This exotic wood, imported from the West Indies and Central America, quickly displaced local furniture woods as the height of fashion. Over the next century, consumer demand for mahogany set in motion elaborate schemes to secure the trees and transform their rough-hewn logs into exquisite objects. But beneath the polished gleam of this furniture lies a darker, hidden story of human and environmental exploitation. Mahogany traces the path of this wood through many hands, from source to sale: from the enslaved African woodcutters, including skilled "huntsmen" who located the elusive trees amidst dense rainforest, to the ship captains, merchants, and timber dealers who scrambled after the best logs, to the skilled cabinetmakers who crafted the wood, and with it the tastes and aspirations of their diverse clientele. As the trees became scarce, however, the search for new sources led to expanded slave labor, vicious competition, and intense international conflicts over this diminishing natural resource. When nineteenth-century American furniture makers turned to other materials, surviving mahogany objects were revalued as antiques evocative of the nation's past."--Publisher's website "In the mid-eighteenth century, colonial Americans became enamored with the rich colors and silky surface of mahogany. This exotic wood, imported from the West Indies and Central America, quickly displaced local furniture woods as the height of fashion. Over the next century, consumer demand for mahogany set in motion elaborate schemes to secure the trees and transform their rough-hewn logs into exquisite objects. But beneath the polished gleam of this furniture lies a darker, hidden story of human and environmental exploitation. Mahogany traces the path of this wood through many hands, from source to sale: from the enslaved African woodcutters, including skilled "huntsmen" who located the elusive trees amidst dense rainforest, to the ship captains, merchants, and timber dealers who scrambled after the best logs, to the skilled cabinetmakers who crafted the wood, and with it the tastes and aspirations of their diverse clientele. As the trees became scarce, however, the search for new sources led to expanded slave labor, vicious competition, and intense international conflicts over this diminishing natural resource. When nineteenth-century American furniture makers turned to other materials, surviving mahogany objects were revalued as antiques evocative of the nation's past."--Page 2 of cover Contents Illustrations Introduction Chapter One. A New Species of Elegance Chapter Two. The Gold Standard of Jamaican Mahogany Chapter Three. Supplying the Empire with Mahogany Chapter Four. The Bitters and the Sweets of Trade Chapter Five. Slavery in the Rain Forest Chapter Six. Redefining Mahogany in the Early Republic Chapter Seven. Mastering Nature and the Challenge of Mahogany Chapter Eight. Democratizing Mahogany and the Advent of Steam Chapter Nine. An Old Species of Elegance Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Index

Colonial Americans were enamored with the rich colors and silky surface of mahogany. As this exotic wood became fashionable, demand for it set in motion a dark, hidden story of human and environmental exploitation. Anderson traces the path from source to sale, revealing how prosperity and desire shaped not just people's lives but the natural world.

Colonial Americans were enamored with the rich colors and silky surface of mahogany. As this exotic wood became fashionable, demand for it set in motion a dark story of human and environmental exploitation. The author traces the path from source to sale, revealing how prosperity and desire shaped not just people's lives but the natural world.