[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by fernando

One thing ought to be relative to the other; if furniture was in reality transformed from sugar boxes, then its origin was the planks ... whether carpenters and joiners worked them up to whatever patterns they wanted. If not, then the name is wrongly attributed.
I guess the idea was to use such exotic woods acquired for low prices.


http://mqc.gov-madeira.pt/pt-PT/Cole...il.aspx?id=155

http://www.madeira-edu.pt/portals/31...ugar-caixa.pdf

Quoting a part of the links above:

Encontram-se igualmente referências ao Mobiliário «caixa-de-açúcar», nos Açores que, de acordo com Francisco Ernesto de Oliveira Martins, se situa no período entre 1642-1700, e também em Lisboa onde em 1686, os marceneiros da Rua das Arcas solicitam autorização para construírem em madeiras de fora, nomeadamente as das caixas em que vem os assucares do Brasil.

Meaning: References to "caixa-de-açucar" furniture are found in the Azores ... 1642-1700 ... and also in Lisbon, where in 1686 local joiners required permission to build with woods from the outside, namely those of the boxes that come with the sugars from Brazil.

Perhaps the sketch of box uploaded in post #10 could be illusory. Some of these boards would have considerable dimensions, specially those of the boxes exported by Brazil, which could carry up to 1000 Kgs. of sugar.

Thank you very much for the excellent references... I have obtained the full reference book on the style of Portuguese furniture from my side which should be here in a few weeks... I will publish the details from that. Meanwhile I will add whatever pictures are available to me here..From Oman and other regions around the Indian Ocean basin the products contained would have been spices, cloth and silver etc. Interesting notes on chests appear at https://books.google.com.om/books?id...Chests&f=false