Tunbridge Ware Inkstand

Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork, typically found in the shape of boxes. It originated in the historic towns of Tonbridge and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, during the 18th and 19th centuries. The hallmark of Tunbridge ware is its intricate decoration, which consists of a mosaic made from many very small pieces of different colored wood. These pieces are carefully arranged to create pictorial vignettes. The process involves shaping rods and slivers of wood, gluing them together, and then cutting them into thin slices of identical pictorial veneer using a fine saw. Tunbridge ware became popular with visitors to the spa town of Tunbridge Wells, who purchased these finely crafted items as souvenirs and gifts.