MONGHYR (today Monger

Monghyr

The output from the craftsmen of Monghyr is very little known in the west and yet highly recogniseable and worthy of recognition. It is mentioned in Birdsworth… “The cabinet work of Monghyr in Bengal is well known. The principal woods used there are tal or palm [Borassus flabelliformis] and ebony, and European articles of furniture are made of them which are highly prized in Calcutta”.

The town of Monghyr is conveniently situated on the bend of the Ganges river and was a stopping point for foreigners, particularly British civil servants, traveling on the river boats between Calcutta and Delhi. However a railroad was opened in 1855 which bypassed the town and severely reduced the trade for the Monghyr craftsmen who were obliged to find other forms of work. Therefore we can fairly confidently date the following pieces to the first half of the 19th century before the railroad robbed the craftsmen of their market. It is recorded that these craftsmen were better inlayers than carvers. The reason is that this town has a long history of producing firearms (especially rifles) of high quality. The wooden parts required little carving but elaborate inlay work for decoration was highly developed. This decoration skill was put to good use producing boxes, walking sticks, and other small items for the passing trade. The repertoire of graphic elements is very limited and characteristic consisting of leafy scrollwork with the occasional bird or butterfly included. The contrast between these simple but effective designs on a dark wood background is striking and instantly recogniseable as originating in Monghyr. The typical wood used is Abnoos (Indian ebony).— As with the generic term ‘rosewood’ the term ‘ebony’ covers several species of tree. In this case. we are considering Diospyros melanoxylon which is a large tree, producing a sweet fruit like grapes. Its leaves resemble those of the Sinobir, but are somewhat broader: it is an evergreen, and its wood is, when good and full-grown, dark-colored and durable; its leaves are smooth and glassy. It is also known as coromandel and its heartwood is always dark but may show different colorations and striations according to where it grows. In southern India and Ceylon it yields the totally black wood commonly associated with ebony but in the north (Monghyr is north of Calcutta) climatic conditions and soil type cause the wood to be more of a chocolatey color with occasional streaks. It can be confused with Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) but has less red in it.

On this piece, the craftsman has conveniently carved stylised leaves of Diospyros Melanoxylon (ebony) on the cupboard doors. Circa 1835.

Dalbergia melanoxylon leaf and fruit.

DETAILS This 19th century, table-top miniature cabinet (only 18” tall) is crafted with double doors which open to a drop leaf writing slope and a drawer below. There is a removable shelf behind the writing slope. Notice the interesting, small brackets flanking the doors. Of the highest quality, this little piece is a treasure for the discerning collector. Catering to the tastes of Europeans traveling on the route between Calcutta and Delhi, the remarkable artisans of Monghyr (Munger) created small furniture pieces of rare ebony, intricately inlaid with ivory tracery; the finest of artistry. Ref: A. Jaffer, Furniture from British India and Ceylon, 2001. p. 235-37.

Generally these pieces were small making them convenient for travelers to transport but occasionally, large versions can be found (see below).

Contemporary English sources state that these craftsmen used three local woods; ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon), paisar (Pterocarpus marsupium), sisu (Dalbergia sissoo) and kathal (artocarpus integrifolia). Pterocarpus marsupium is a tree producing a very valuable timber often planted by the Indian forestry today. This is one of 33 species of rosewood named as being a suitable Hongmu (red wood) timber, used for producing high quality Chinese furniture following traditions from the Ming and Qing dynasty, which makes it a particularly valuable wood. Dalbergia sissoo is an Indian variety and should not be confused or compared with Dalbergia latifolia. Although Dalbergia sissoo yields a good medium hard timber it is a relatively inexpensive one when compared with Dalbergia latifolia and the Indian souvenir trade sells objects made of it as if they were rosewood hence D.sissoo variety is called Indian Rose Wood. Artocarpus integrifolia is commonly known as jackfruit. The tree is fast growing usually yielding a fairly light colored wood and isn’t usually considered a fine, tropical hardwood.