WOODCARVING & ACCESSORIES

Wooden Jewelry Boxes: Many Beautiful Woods to Choose From

When they are of good quality, wooden jewelry boxes have the potential of becoming heirlooms. Their strength gives them the ability to last a lifetime. Their facades can be decorated in many ways.

They can be done up with carving, some embellishments and even art forms like Marquetry. There are a number of woods that can be utilized in the making of jewelry boxes. One popular, locally available wood is Mahogany.

It is mainly used in the making of jewelry cases for its rot-resistant capabilities. A beautiful sheen comes out when this wood is polished. Woodworkers, professional and amateur, prefer mahogany since all kinds of tools can be used to work with it. It exudes a masculine aura and therefore is used in the making of men’s valets.

Easily found in the United States, Ebony is dark in color and gives jewelry boxes a great depth. Because of the density this wood possesses, it sinks when placed in water. This makes it really strong and durable.

If your home is done up in antique or classic styles, then an ebony jewelry box will fit right in. These lids can be carved in many ways. Buffing them in different ways will bring out a vintage look.

Some of the popular designs are stacked boxes or those that come with drawers and removable trays. Jewelry boxes made of White Ash are light in color. Craftsmen like this wood a lot for its ability to be molded beautifully when steamed. This makes it the right wood to use for boxes that are curved or come in many shapes.

The weight to strength ratio of White Ash is balanced, making it strong. Despite being an open-pored wood it does not have any distinctive odor. As a wood, it is strong, shock-resistant and very flexible.

A number of jewelry boxes are made from Cherry wood. Its heartwood varies from light pink to reddish brown and its sapwood is a lighter shade. Cherry wood of all kinds darkens with age enhancing its elegance. Because of its smooth texture, this wood is the best one to use if you want to carve on your box.

There are several finishes it will show off well, but the best are the natural ones. Cherry wood boxes that have been designed traditionally can be highlighted with brass accents while the more modernistic versions can be done in silver. Gum streaks are best used to highlight cherry wood boxes.

The lightest of wood boxes are those made of Maple wood. Occasionally White Maple is bleached before it is polished, making it lighter. Curly and bird’s eye Maple is used largely in the creation of some decorative items.

It is unfortunate though that Maple is a single growth tree. What will happen is that when its supply is exhausted, its prices are going to skyrocket, matching other rare trees.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our marqart wood design products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!
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