Indian Chest Of Drawers

Just what is Indian furniture?
It might be helpful to establish what is meant by the term Indian furniture, as it is applied in the British furniture retail sector.  Unlike North America, it would not normally include furniture of the Native American peoples; nor does it include – however unlikely – furniture that has some connection with the Caribbean or West Indies.   

In UK furniture retail, the term is applied to any style of furniture style originating from, or influenced by, the Sub-Continent.  This means it is not purely restricted to furniture that has been made in the country of India. Now while Indian furniture may be a relatively new category in the UK and reflect the country’s growing cultural diversity, the influence of India and Indian culture on furniture in Britain actually extends back some 400 years, to Britain’s first contact with the region in the 1600s.  Merchants and traders were impressed and charmed by the qualities of the many different timber species and by the elaborate and intricate decorative styles they encountered.   

From the early 17th Century onwards, India exported semi-precious materials that could be inlaid to wooden furniture, as this was a time that coincided with the arrival of the Renaissance influence in Britain.  This was however still before chests of drawers were widely used and of course well before Indian chests of drawers as they might be recognised today, existed.   

What are the styling features that characterise an Indian chest of drawers?  
When it comes to distinguishing between an Indian chest of drawers and other chests of drawers then the first point to notice must be the choice of timber.  This will almost always be a hardwood of some description.  Some ranges use wood that is similar to ‘European’ timber, with an evenness of colour and grain pattern throughout.  Others take the opposite approach and make a feature of the contrasting colours and grain patterns in some timber.  

These colour differences mark the division between the heartwood and outer wood of the tree.  Heartwood is the toughest part of the tree and provides the framework that holds the tree upright.  The generally lighter coloured outer wood, or sapwood, transports moisture and nutrients from root to branch and can be likened to the blood vessels found in the human body.   The colour differences between heartwood and sapwood can be very noticeable in some species, ranging from a light, golden yellow to a dark red-brown.  This is particularly noticeable in large pieces of furniture such as Indian chests of drawers.  

The use of Jali
Another distinguishing feature, though less common on Indian chests of drawers compared to other Indian-style furniture, is the incorporation of Jali into the design.  Jali is intricate lattice work, usually crafted in steel and bonded into the centre of panels in the same way as solid wooden panels are used in British or European designs.   

The name does not apply solely to lattice work found in furniture, but is also used for decorative screens found in architectural designs, for example in mosques and temples of Oriental origin or influence.   Fittings on the traditional or rustic-style Indian chest of drawers, are usually made of metal, are elaborate in style and have a bright finish – such as brass or polished steel.  Fittings on contemporary designs, such as they exist, are typically more restrained and have a greater similarity to ‘European’ styles.