Mahogany was the timber of choice for cabinet makers throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. There are many species of mahogany but essentially it is a hardwood which means it is strong for making furniture and also has a reddish tone and beautiful grain patterns.
However, antique mahogany will come in a variety of colours depending on its species and the conditions in which it has been kept. For example, exposure to sunlight can cause mahogany to bleach and go a lovely golden colour but Cuban mahogany can retain it's original darkness if it's not been near a window.
Much Georgian and Victorian furniture including side tables were manufactured from Cuban mahogany that was used as ballast to stabilise trading ships returning from the West Indies meaning that it was affordable to cabinet makers. Thankfully, today things are different and measures taken in 2019 by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) mean that the deforestation and resale of modern timbers are far more restricted.
We usually have a selection of mahogany side tables in stock, at our warehouse and available for national delivery.