# Taverneau???



## barry richardson (Nov 14, 2019)

Anyone familiar with a wood by this name? I was at a flea market yesterday,where they had a fine set of wood plates similar to the one in the photo, they were produced in the 60s and each had a label on the bottom that said "genuine taverneau, hand made in Haiti" It was a very nice mahogany-like wood. A google search gets lots of hits for finished stuff similar to the photo, mostly claiming "vintage mid-century modern" and "Taverneau is a rare wood from Haiti" I could find no info on taverneau trees or lumber though. I did find one list of native Haitian trees that showed Taverneau associated with the latin name Lysiloma latisiliquum. following that lead, if it is correct, some common names are False Tamarind and Tzalam. Wonder if the name Taverneau has gone out of use since the 60s...?? Wish I had bought the set now, looks like I could have flipped them on etsy or ebay for a nice little profit... any insights?


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## phinds (Nov 14, 2019)

I've never heard that common name but you are right about the botanical name leading to T'zalam and the piece you show is consistent with same:
t'zalam


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 14, 2019)

barry richardson said:


> Anyone familiar with a wood by this name? I was at a flea market yesterday,where they had a fine set of wood plates similar to the one in the photo, they were produced in the 60s and each had a label on the bottom that said "genuine taverneau, hand made in Haiti" It was a very nice mahogany-like wood. A google search gets lots of hits for finished stuff similar to the photo, mostly claiming "vintage mid-century modern" and "Taverneau is a rare wood from Haiti" I could find no info on taverneau trees or lumber though. I did find one list of native Haitian trees that showed Taverneau associated with the latin name Lysiloma latisiliquum. following that lead, if it is correct, some common names are False Tamarind and Tzalam. Wonder if the name Taverneau has gone out of use since the 60s...?? Wish I had bought the set now, looks like I could have flipped them on etsy or ebay for a nice little profit... any insights?
> 
> View attachment 174087



Yes Barry, your research is correct. Remember, finding any tree of lumber status in Haiti is for the most part "rare".


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## barry richardson (Nov 14, 2019)

What I find odd is the name taverneau is not in any wood data bases as a primary or "commonly known as" name for any wood, yet on ebay, etsy, and some other design sites, products made with taverneau wood are abundant....


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## phinds (Nov 14, 2019)

Probably it's a local name that never made it to the databases. Unusual but hardly unique.


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 14, 2019)

phinds said:


> Probably it's a local name that never made it to the databases. Unusual but hardly unique.



I thought it was a French name. I have seen it several times in just the last few years (8-10).


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## phinds (Nov 14, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> I thought it was a French name. I have seen it several times in just the last few years (8-10).


Haitii was a French colony.


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