What wood is this table's veneer made of?

[Stephen Duppe]

Hi,

I am sprucing up the drawleaf table my grandmother got for her wedding, made in 1936, or at least I am working on the piece of it that I'm keeping, namely the top, which I have added a frame to and will put some metal legs onto. Sacrilege? Maybe. But it will be much easier to transport and much nicer to sit at. The original was made with two broad legs which made it uncomfortable to sit at unless the leaves were pulled out, something that always annoyed everyone in the family.

The top has a quarter-matched veneer.

I've also taken a photo of one of the leaves that I will throw away, which is much shinier, presumably because it has spent most of its time pushed in under the top and therefore its varnish hasn't had so much chance to wear down.

My question is what wood is this veneer made of?

I think it's walnut but I'm not sure.

Thanks!

Stephen

PS I'd be grateful too for some advice as to a quick and dirty way to deal with the deep gouge-like scratching you can see at the bottom of the first photo, possibly made by my uncle when he was a nipper. Is this a job for a wax stick filler, as made by e.g. Liberon?

[Andy Burns]

Would have been my guess too ...

[John Rumm]

Yup its a bit of crotch figure or burr / burl walnut - book matched and mirrored. Very common for the era.

Yup hard wax or a shellac repair stick - melted into the crack, then buffed up with the rest of it.

[Andrew]

Are you anywhere near the Weald and Downland museum, between Midhurst and Chichester ?. I think that's where the 'Repair Shop' is located and filmed.

They would fix it for you.

[Vir Campestris]

It's worth a visit anyway. But I'd describe it as "Down the hill from Goodwood" - meaning the horses FTAOD, and the north side.

Andy