Antique English Escritoires
DESKS: ESCRITOIRES
Approximately 1680-1720
William & Mary mulberry wood fall-front escritoire.
0riginally known as a scrutoire or scriptor, this was a valuable piece of furniture in its day, its flat fall-front providing a good surface for
decorative veneers. The earliest versions are small and mounted on a stand, but the majority of survivals are large and sit on a chest of drawers. Rare objects today.
In two sections, the upper part slightly taller and narrower than the lower. join concealed by applied ‘waist’ moulding, matching one around base. Usually a pair of drawers above two deeper drawers in base. Originally
bun feet (usually replaced later with brackets).
Upper part with single fall-front writing-
surface (usually with velvet or coarser cloth base), supported first on brass chains, later on elbow hinges. There is a convex-fronted ‘cushion’ drawer in frieze, below a projecting moulded cornice.
Interior fittings: Flush with front and reaching full height. Vary in conformation; usually lockable central cupboard above deep recess, open pigeon-holes at top, all surrounded by differently-sized drawers. May be secret drawers concealed behind.
Mostly walnut (often burr); occasionally mulberry, yew or other highly figured woods. All veneered on pine carcase, with oak for drawer linings. Box, holly, harewood, various fruit-woods, occasionally ebony for
marquetry.
Note: An all-pine carcase will indicate Continental manufacture.
Standard methods employed (see CHESTS OF DRAWERS, p. 84). Hand-cut veneers about 1/8 inch/3 mm thick. Banding cross-cut with mitred corners. Often burr veneers on front; vertically-running, straight-grained veneer on sides. Fall-front cleated to prevent warping.
Mostly figuring of veneers, sometimes with cross- or feather banding. Occasionally oyster patterns. Sometimes seaweed or floral marquetry is seen.
Handles: Typical for day (for details see page 85). Brass drop handles, smaller inside than out, seldom matching. Thereafter brass bails with solid backplates outside; smaller ring handles with circular backplates inside. Large, surface-mounted, decorative brass escutcheons.
Varnish (to fill grain) followed by wax polish.
VALUES
Being rare, very highly priced, invariably in five figures. Even marriages (of top originally on stand to chest of drawers), if done convincingly, of considerable value. Fine marquetry, or any attractively figured alternative
to walnut, a price advantage.
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Tags: chest of drawers, CHESTS, chests of drawers, cupboard, Desks, Drawers, ENGLISH, escritoire, ESCRITOIRES, marquetry, Mary, mitred corners, piece of furniture, secret drawers, William