Made from macassar ebony and American walnut and accented with gilt bronze and ivory, Ruhlmann first displayed the style at the landmark 1925 Paris art deco exposition.

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French designer Ruhlmann (1879-1933) was known for using ivory and rare woods like Macassar ebony to make pieces with streamlined shapes and simple curves a departure from the ornate, florid carvings of the Art Nouveau style that predated him.

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But much of that quality, he would have said, came from the wood itself, in the swirl, curl and quilting of Devon walnut, perhaps his favourite, or the dark, coloured stripes of Macassar ebony, so hard to work.

ECONOMIST: Alan Peters