Cuban Mahogany lamptableSOLD

 Cuba owes its distinguished history to the extraordinary variety and profusion of hardwoods which grew on the island prior to the destruction of its forests for planting of coffee and sugar during the nineteenth century. Cuban mahogany (Swietenia mahogani), also known as Havana wood, became renowned the world over as a cabinet wood – its first British enthusiast was the carpenter on Sir Walter Raleigh’s voyage to South America in 1595. It was extensively used in the Havana shipyard whence some of the world’s most famous ships were launched; several of them fought at Trafalgar. Now all hardwoods are protected by the Cuban government while reforestation takes place.