Calamander

/ˈkæl.ə.mæn.dər/ noun

Definition

A type of dark hardwood from a Sri Lankan tree, used in fine furniture and woodworking, also called Calamander wood.

Etymology

From Tamil 'kalamander' or similar South Asian languages, referring to a valuable wood from Diospyros quaesita tree native to Sri Lanka.

Kelly Says

Calamander wood was so prized in the 18th and 19th centuries that it fueled colonial trade expeditions—it's one of those woods that made the furniture of the wealthy unmistakably beautiful through sheer rarity and density.

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