This sliding book stand was made at Vizagapatam, a port on the east coast of India where from the early 18th century craftsmen had been making furniture and fancy wares for western consumers. Early Vizagapatam products are made of ivory and expensive hardwoods. In order to appeal to a wider market, in the 19th century craftsmen began producing less costly articles that required less ivory and were less time-consuming. This bookstand is a typical product of that period.