THIS ORNATE SOFA is an exceptionally rare example of Tasmanian colonial furniture. Even more remarkable, it is one of a pair.
Most early colonial furniture was). This native timber grew north of Sydney and into southern Queensland, and was exported throughout Australia for furniture-making. It had a deep, rich colour, was lightweight and easy to craft, and resisted termite damage. However, this sofa was made from blackwood (), which, although plentiful in Tasmania, was seldom used for furniture-making because it was so hard that it blunted tools and was difficult to shape into forms.
