Thursday, August 5, 2010

Term for the Day: Ebonized

A plaque from an ebonized Victorian music cabinet.
To ebonize means to stain or paint wood in order to simulate the look of costly ebony. This method of black stain was both a stylistic and cultural choice. After the death of Queen Victoria, ebonizing rose in popularity in England. Many pieces of furniture were ebonized to darken them as the nation mourned the passing of their beloved queen.

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