East Indian satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia) is also known as lemonwood, atlaswood or silkwood. The tree grows in Sri Lanka and the Near East and does not reach large diameters and trunk lengths. The wood is a beautiful intense yellow color and has a truly unique shimmering, silky sheen up close, which is reminiscent of the iridescence of expensive silk fabrics and certainly gave it its name. Contrary to popular belief, satinwood has nothing at all to do with citrus trees; it was the yellow color alone that gave the wood its misleading name of lemonwood. The use of this precious wood was traditionally reserved for small handcrafted wooden items known as gallantry goods, such as glove boxes, brush backs and woodturning. Around 1905, Bruno Paul furnished an entire room with it, the unique and famous lemon (wood) room at Faber-Castell Castle in Stein near Nuremberg.
