our timbers

wenge (Milletia laurentii)

wenge is one of the most stunning of all the dark exotic timbers. highly prized by african tribes for ceremonial masks and figure. wenge is so hard and dense that the tribal sculptors had to use slow burning fire to carve and sculpt tribal stools and head rests. the wenge tree bark is also ground down to a powder which is thrown into rivers and lakes to anaesthetise fish so they can be easily caught.

wenge has a distinctive liquorice dark black brown heartwood with golden undertones which are described as having been “stroked by the claws of a tiger” and make wenge a most spectacular hardwood. wenge matures from a raw dark black colour to a deep rich vintage brown/black dense patina.

hard and heavy, wenge is almost identical to hard maple in resistance to abrasion, and is ideal for high traffic areas in public buildings.

wenge is at its most beautiful and spectacular In contemporary or minimal spaces. darkly elegant and sophisticated in classical interiors.


exotic collection