Antique Tables: English and French Oak, Mahogany and Walnut Antique Sofa, Gateleg, Writing Tables and Desks

AN OAK “CREDENCE” OR FOLDING TABLE with semi-circular hinged top, the
moulded frieze with a drawer and broad canted corners, the frame raised on four baluster legs joined by a platform stretcher, and with a baluster-shaped gateleg back support, 2ft 7in. high by 3ft. wide (78cm. by 103cm.) circa 1640, reconstructed.

A CHARLES II OAK TABLE with a moulded plank top, the frieze with a drawer and raised on ball-turned legs and stretchers, 2ft. 6in.

A CHARLES II OAK SIDE TABLE with cleated two-plank top, the frieze with a two
panelied drawer veneered in fruitwood on turned baluster legs of exaggerated form joined
by moulded stretchers, 2ft. 4V2in. high by 2ft. wide (72cm. by 90cm.) circa 1675, feet
and cleats restored.

A CHARLES II OVAL OAK GATELEG TABLE,
by a moulded flat stretcher, the gates with simple waved upnghts.

A RARE WILLIAM AND MARY CEDARWOOD TRIANGULAR TABLE, the triangular top
with three flaps with spring supports and opening to form a hexagonal top, raised on three
turned legs joined by similar stretchers, 2ft. 3′/2in. high by 2ft. 21hin. open (69cm. by 67cm.)
circa 1690, tip of one flap missing.

A RARE WILLIAM AND MARY OAK DINING TABLE, four hinged curved fiaps supported on
baluster legs joined by a moulded oval stretcher and massive.

AN OCTAGONAL OAK “CRICKET” TABLE with plank top, the moulded frieze and three
turned legs joined by a triangular shelf and three stretchers, 2ft. 6in. wide (76cm.) late-17th
Century, restored.

A GOOD OAK REFECTORY TABLE
with massive four-plank top and simple shaped walnut end supports
joined by a long bar, 2ft. 5in. high by 8ft. long by 3ft. 3in. wide (74cm. by 273cm. by 99cm.) partly constructed from I8th Century wood.

AN EARLY 18TH CENTURY REFECTORY TABLE in walnut and oak, the four plank
top on piain trestle end supports with piain stretcher and feet, 5ft. Hin. long by 2ft. 8V2in.
deep (180cm. by 82cm.) circa 1720.

A FINE PAIR OF GEORGE I LABURNUMWOOD-VENEERED CONCERT-ACTION CARD
TABLES, each quarter-veneered top with a crossbanding and projecting rounded corners,
the baize-lined interior with counter wells and candie-stands, the conforming frieze raised
on turned legs headed by piain lappets and ending in pad feet, 2ft. Win. wide (86cm.) circa
1720.

A FINE PAIR OF QUEEN ANNE BURR-WALNUT SEMI-ELLIPTICAL GAMES TABLES each
in well figured wood, each top with a moulded edge, a chevron banding and a broad
crossbanding, one with a velvet-lined interior crossbanded in walnut, the other with a
walnut-veneered interior crossbanded in oak, each plain frieze with a small chevron-
banded drawer at each side below a slide and raised on four simple cabriole legs with pad
feet, 2ft. 4in. high by 2ft. 6вОО. wide (71cm. by 77cm.) circa 1710.

A FINE GEORGE III PENWORK-DECORATED PEMBROKE TABLE in the French style,
the serpentine top with a central chinoiserie design of figures with a parasol and a child
within a broad floral border and an outer white border, the frieze with a chinoiserie
design, ivory knobs and a drawer surrounded by fruiting vines, the slender cabriole legs
headed by carved husks and decorated with fruiting vines, with brass castors, 2ft. 6in. long
by 3ft. ‘Ain. open (76cm. by 92cm.) circa 1780.

A FINE GEORGE III OVAL MAHOGANY PEMBROKE TABLE
in the French style, the flame-figured moulded top with a
narrow crossbanding, the bowed frieze with a drawer and raised on slender moulded cabriole legs headed by a fluted trumpet hung with a husk and with circular flowerhead brackets.

A GEORGE III OVAL MAHOGANY AND MARQUETRY URN TABLE, the galleried top
with satinwood banding engraved and stained with entwined leaves enclosing flowerheads
and with a narrow tulipwood outer banding, the frieze with a small slide and raised on
Square tapering legs headed by trailing garrya husks and a circular patera, 2ft. VMn. high
by lft. 2′/2in. wide (65cm. by 37cm.) circa 1780.

A FINE GEORGE II OCTAGONAL MAHOGANY TRIPOD TABLE, the gallery pierced with
Chinese fretwork and each side joining at the corner in a scroll, supported on a leaf-carved
trumpet and three tall inscrolled Supports carved with leaves and ending in bold scrolls,
2ft. 6in. high by lft. 8V4in. wide (76cm. by 51.5cm.) circa 1750.

A LATE 18TH CENTURY CHINESE LACQUER KNEEHOLE DRESSING OR WRITING
TABLE of slightly inverted breakfront form, the moulded top inset with a panel of gilt-
tooled green leather and with a frieze drawer and six short drawers flanking a recess with
three drawers, on bracket feet, decorated throughout with buildings and trees in gilt on
black, 2ft. 73Ain. high by 3ft. 8′Mn. wide (80cm. by 113cm.) late 18th Century, decoration
renewed, later top.

A GEORGE III SMALL MAHOGANY PEMBROKE TABLE, the top with a narrow
crossbanding and rounded corners with a frieze drawer and square tapering legs with
castors, 2ft. 33Ain. open (70.5cm.) circa 1780.

A FINE GEORGE III SATINWOOD MARQUETRY D-SHAPED SIDE TABLE, the top with
a swirling scrollwork hung with chains of flowers and with a giant shell medallion within
a main harewood border of ribbon meandering round seed pods and with two narrow
tulipwood crossbandings, the frieze and four square tapering legs inlaid with chains of
leaves with narrow kingwood crossbanding, 2ft. 7′Ain. high by 4ft. 6lAin. wide (79cm. by
138cm.) circa 1775.

A GOOD GEORGE III MAHOGANY TWO-PEDESTAL DINING TABLE with two extra
leaves, each hinged end with rounded corners and raised on a plain pillar and four canted
reeded sabre legs with plain brass toes and castors, 4ft. wide by lOft. 8in. long fully extended
(122cm. by 325cm.) circa 1800.

A REGENCY JAPANNED PEDESTAL TABLE, the hinged rectangular top with broad
canted corners and a chinoiserie scene in gilt with a woman seated by a table and a
fisherman walking towards a boat, on ebonised obelisk support and concave triangular
base, 2ft. 5′Ain. high by lft. 6in. wide (74cm. by 46cm.) circa 1810.

A REGENCY MAHOGANY FOLDING COACHING TABLE with hinged top and waved X-shaped
supports joined by turned stretchers, 3ft. Van. open (92cm.) circa 1815.

A LATE GEORGE III MAHOGANY KNEEHOLE WRITING TABLE
with a central frieze drawer above an arch flanked
to each skie by three drawers and a deep drawer resemble two drawers,
on a plain plinth base, ail the drawers painted (76cm. by 132.5cm.) 1810.

A PAIR OF OVAL TWO-TIER ETAGERE TABLES, each with a gilt-stamped black
leather-lined shelf on four pillars with pineapple finials and brass castors, 2ft. lin. high by
lft. 9lhin. long (63.5cm. by 54.5cm.).

A PAIR OF THREE-TIER ETAGERE TABLES of square shape, veneered in rosewood
and with gilt-brass column corners, with bail finials and castors, square (36cm )
19th Century.

A TWO-TIER ETAGERE TABLE,
each rectangular shelf veneered in rosewood with gilt-brass
border and gilt-brass circular legs and castors, lft. 8in. high by 2ft.

A LATE GEORGE III MAHOGANY SMALL TABLE, the top with rounded corners
above two drawers, the lower one panelled to resemble two drawers, on slender ringed
legs with castors, lft. 6′Ain. wide (46.5cm.) circa 1805.

A NEST OF THREE REGENCY ROSEWOOD TABLES, each on a pair of twist-ringed
pillars with downcurved legs joined by a straight stretcher.

AN IVORY-INLAID KINGWOOD-VENEERED TABLE
CABINET, the hinged lid and sides veneered with a brick
design with ivory ‘mortar’, the architectural front with
an arrangement of six short drawers flanking a dummy
drawer and a cupboard enclosing three long drawers,
the whole of the front inlaid with a eut ivory scrollwork,
lft. 5V4In. high by wide (44cm. by 75cm.) mid-
17th Century, probably Spanish.

A DUTCH MARQUETRY CENTRE TABLE, the top
inlaid with an oval set with flower vases flanked by
birds, within burr-walnut and maple crossbanding within
floral spandrels and a floral border above a similarly
inlaid frieze drawer, on square tapering legs ending in
blocks and joined by a concave X-stretcher, on later bun
feet, 2ft. 4lhin. high by 3ft. 7′Mn. wide (73cm. by 110cm.)
late 17th/early 18th Century.

A GILTWOOD SERPENTINE FRONTED CONSOLE TABLE
with a pierced C-scroll and acanthus leaf-carved apron
centred by a shell, on elaborately carved cabriole legs
hung with floral garlands and joined by an asymmetrical
pierced C-scroll and S-scroll stretcher with a grey marble
top, 2ft. 8in. high by 3ft. 9lMn. wide (81cm. by 116cm.)
circa 1750, probably German.

A DUTCH WALNUT MARQUETRY TRIPOD TABLE, the circular
hinged top inlaid with a flower vase within a scrolling garland,
on a ring-turned baluster stem and downcurved cabriole legs, 2ft. 5lhin.
high by 2ft. 4V2in. diam. (75cm. by 72.5cm.) mid-18th Century.

A DUTCH MARQUETRY CARD TABLE, the triangular
baize-lined top and frieze with chevron bandings and
boxwood stringing, with a vase of flowers above a
bearded mask, on four tapering legs with inlaid bands of
lighter wood, 2ft. 4′/2in. high by 4ft. lin. wide (72cm. by
124.5cm.) circa 1790.

A BIEDERMEIER FRUITWOOD SMALL TABLE with a
drawer and square tapering legs, 2ft. high by lft. Hin.
wide (61cm. by 58cm.) circa 1830.

A BIEDERMEIER FRUITWOOD JARDINIERE TABLE
with panelled frieze and square tapering legs, 2ft. wide
(73cm.) circa 1830.

A LATE GEORGE II MAHOGANY SIDE TABLE, with
moulded top and frieze drawer, on square chamfered
legs, 2ft. 4′/2in. high by 3ft. wide (72cm. by 93cm.)
circa 1760.

AN EARLY GEORGE III MAHOGANY SIDE TABLE,
with brass gallery, plain frieze, with square chamfered
legs headed by pierced fluted brackets, 2ft. Hin. high by
6ft. wide (89cm. by 183cm.).

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY TOILET TABLE, with a
rising adjustable mirror and a divided hinged top
enclosing apertures for fitments with a cupboard and
square chamfered legs joined by a concave platform,
lft. 4in. wide (41cm.) circa 1770.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY EXTENDING DINING TABLE,
with a pair of leaves, each D-shaped end raised on four
square tapering legs, 4ft. wide by 8ft. 2in. fully extended
(122cm. by 249cm.) circa 1780, with restoration.

HOLE DESK OR DRESSING TABLE, of triple bow-front
form, the top with reeded edge, three frieze drawers and
each pedestal with a bowed door enclosing tray shelves
on a phnth base, 2ft. 4′Mn. high by 4ft. min. wide (72cm
by 138cm.) circa 1800.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SERPENTINE-TOP CARD TABLE,
on square tapering legs and block feet, 2ft.
high by 2ft. 7in. wide (74.5cm. by 79cm.) circa 1780.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SIDE TABLE with semi-
circular top and panelled tapering legs, 2ft. 103Ain. high
by 4ft. 3in. wide (88cm. by 129cm.) circa 1785, the frieze
now containing a drawer.

A REGENCY MAHOGANY TRIPOD TABLE, the
rectangular hinged top on slender ring-turned baluster
stem and reeded downeurved legs ending in bun feet,
2ft. 3′hin. high by 2ft. lin. wide (70cm. by 63cm.)
circa 1805.

A LATE GEORGE III MAHOGANY WRITING DESK
with a tambour front enclosing a fitted interior and
writing slide above a pair of frieze drawers on square,
tapering, fluted and stop-fluted legs, 3ft. 5in. high by 3ft.
‘hin. wide (104cm. by 93cm.) circa 1790.

A REGENCY BREAKFAST TABLE, the rectangular hinged top with
reeded edge on a ring-turned baluster stem and reeded sabre
legs ending in brass castors, 2ft. 4in. high by 4ft. wide (71cm. by 150cm.) circa 1820.

A PAIR OF GEORGE III MAHOGANY GAMES TABLES,
the rectangular tops with reeded borders and deep
chamfered corners, the friezes inlaid with stringing and
raised on turned tapering legs, 2ft. 5′hin. high by 2ft.
ll3Ain. (75cm. by 91cm.) circa 1800, one with Upper
section of top replaced.

A FINE GEORGE III MAHOGANY THREE-PEDESTAL
DINING TABLE, each pedestal with a vase-shaped stem
and downcurved legs ending in brass castors, 2ft. 4in.
high by 8ft. Hin. long by 4ft.deep (71cm. by 274cm.
by 136cm.) circa 1800.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY TWO PEDESTAL DINING
TABLE, with rounded square ends on nng-turned
baluster and reeded sabre legs, ending in brass.castors
2ft. 5in. high by 6f, Win. long by
209cm. by 122cm.) circa 1815.

A REGENCY MAHOGANY SOFA TABLE, the top
crossbanded in satinwood and inlaid with boxwood
stringing with two real opposing two dummy drawers,
and with D-shaped flaps, on trestle supports joined by
an arched stretcher, 2ft. 5in. high by 5ft. lin. wide (74cm.
by 155cm.) circa 1805.

A LATE GEORGE III ROSEWOOD SOFA TABLE, with
two frieze drawers in one side, on a ring-turned baluster
stem carved with lotus leaves and down-curved sabre
legs, ending in downcurved feet and castors, the whole
inlaid with brass stringing, 2ft. 4in. high by 5ft. ‘Mn. wide
(71cm. by 153cm.) circa 1815.

A REGENCY MAHOGANY SOFA TABLE, with
D-shaped flaps crossbanded in satinwood, the frieze
with one real and one dummy drawer on lyre-shaped
scrolling supports and sabre legs joined by an arched
stretcher, 2ft. 6in. high by 5ft. o’frin. wide (76cm. by
169cm.) circa 1815.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SOFA TABLE, with
D-shaped flaps and one real and one dummy drawer in
the frieze on trestle supports, joined by a ring-turned
stretcher on moulded sabre legs ending in brass castors,
2ft. 4in. high by 5ft. VMn. wide (71cm. by 156cm.)
circa 1810.

A PAIR OF GEORGE IV MAHOGANY CARD TABLES,
with canted corners and swivelling tops, raised on four
turned pillars, a platform and canted sabre legs, inlaid
throughout with a pale wood stringing, 2ft. Hin. zoide
(89cm.).

A WILLIAM IV ROSEWOOD CENTRE BREAKFAST
TABLE, the circular top with a beaded edge on a triangular
pillar and moulded beaded base and concave platform,
on moulded ball feet, 2ft. in. high by 4ft. 3′/2in.
diameter (72cm. by 130cm.) circa 1830.

A WILLIAM IV ROSEWOOD-VENEERED WORK TABLE,
with rounded corners, frieze drawer above a U-shaped
back support with turned pillar and coneave rectangular
base with bun feet, 2ft. 4in. high by 2ft. Hin. open (71cm.
by 89cm.) circa 1835.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SEMI-CIRCULAR CARD TABLE
with a baize-lined interior, crossbanded in satinwood, on
square tapering legs ending in block feet, 2ft. 5in. high by 3ft.
wide (74cm. by 91.5cm.) circa 1790.

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SIDE TABLE with
crossbanded top and a hinged flap panelled to resemble
two long drawers, with a curved apron and square
tapering legs ending in spade feet, the whole inlaid with
ebony stringing, 2ft. high by 2ft. 4in. wide (80cm.
by 71cm.) circa 1790.

A GEORGE III PROVINCIAL MAHOGANY DRESSING
TABLE, the rectangular top with adjustable dressing
mirror on ratchet support, with two long and two short
drawers round a kneehole, on square tapering legs and
brass castors, 2ft. lO’hin. high by 2ft. 9′/2in. wide (87cm.
by 85cm.) circa 1800.

A REGENCY MAHOGANY CARD TABLE, the hinged
top crossbanded in rosewood, with a beaded frieze and
spirally ringed baluster stem on a concave platform
stretcher and hipped sabre legs ending in lion-paw
castors, 2ft. 5V2in. high by 3ft.wide (75cm. by 92cm.)
circa 1815.

A GEORGE IV CIRCULAR MAHOGANY TRIPOD TABLE
of George II style, with hinged top, baluster stem and
plain cabriole legs with pointed pad feet, 2ft. 4in. high by 2ft. 6in.
diameter (71cm. by 76cm.) circa 1820.

AN EBONISED PARCEL-GILT REGENCY CHEVERET
TABLE, the superstructure with a brass three-quarters
gallery above a pair of grille-filled doors flanked by lotus-
carved baluster columns, the frieze decorated with an
olive leaf motif centred by a rosette, on ringed tapering
legs joined by a platform stretcher, 3ft. 9in. high by 2ft.
wide (114cm. by 61cm.) circa 1815.

A LATE GEORGE III MAHOGANY PEDESTAL PEMBROKE
TABLE, the rectangular top with rounded corners, with
a frieze drawer and central reeded column on four
moulded legs, 2ft. 4in. high by 2ft.wide
(71cm. by 90cm.) circa 1820.

A GEORGE IV MAHOGANY CARD TABLE,
with a hinged swivelling top enclosing a well, supported
on two ring-turned columns and a concave platform with hipped sabre
legs and brass castors, 2ft. 4V2in. high by 2ft. 11in. wide (72cm. by 90.5cm.) circa 1825.

A LATE GEORGE III MAHOGANY BREAKFAST TABLE,
the circular top with turned column and four legs, 2ft. 5in.
high by 4ft. 3in. diameter (74cm. by 130cm.) circa 1815, originally
part of a pedestal dining table.

A WILLIAM IV GILTWOOD SIDE TABLE,
with verde antico marble top and a pair of massive
foliate scroll supports, resting on a rosewood-veneered base with
giltwood egg and dart moulding and a mirrored backboard, 3ft. 3in.
high by 4ft. 8in. wide (99cm. by 142cm.) circa 1830, distressed and gold painted.

A WILLIAM IV ROSEWOOD TRESTLE TABLE, the
rectangular top with rounded corners and inlaid with a
satinwood band, with a drawer in the frieze and simple
trestle Supports, 2ft. high by 2ft. 4in. wide (70cm.
by 71cm.) circa 1830.

A WILLIAM IV ROSEWOOD BREAKFAST TABLE, the
circular top with a gadrooned border, the hexagonal
stem with concave-sided triangular base on gadrooned
feet, 2ft. 5′/2in. high by 4ft. 6in. wide (75cm. by 137cm.)
circa 1835.

A WILLIAM IV MAHOGANY TEA OR GAMES TABLE,
the rectangular hinged top with a beaded edge, on
columnar lotus-leaf carved pedestal and concave
platform stretcher on reeded bun feet, 2ft. high by
3ft. wide (75cm. by 91.5cm.) circa 1830.

A WILLIAM IV MAHOGANY GAMES TABLE, the top
with a central sliding panel enclosing a backgammon well
and reversing to form a chessboard, with two drawers
flanking an arch with a dummy drawer, on piain trestle
supports, 2ft. high by 2ft. Hin. wide (77cm. by
89cm.) circa 1830.

A FLEMISH PARQUETRY SIDE TABLE,
the rectangular top with concentric oyster-veneered
circles in olivewood with hollywood stringing, a drawer
in the frieze and turned legs joined by wavy stretchers, 2ft. 6in. high by 3ft. wide (76cm. by 95cm.)
circa 1700, legs and stretchers replaced.

A GEORGE I WALNUT TABLE, with a moulded mottled pale
apricot-coloured top and rounded corners, the frieze with a
drawer at each end, the turned legs with lappets and pad feet, 2ft.
5in. high by 2ft. 8in. long (74cm. by 81cm.) circa 1725, marble modern.

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17th Century French, Italian and Spanish Desks about 1630
Byzantine: Desks combining flat surfaces with sloped lecterns fairly commonplace.
Romanesque: The few literate people (mainly monks) used a writing-slope – often a portable box with hinged, slanted lid, but sometimes on a fixed base. A desk dating from about  pieces of furniture designed specifically for writing have taken many different forms, the work-surface sometimes being the most important feature, sometimes little more than a hidden accessory in a prestige piece designed  to proclaim the owner’s power and cultural pretensions.
1200 at Valstena Church, Gotland, Sweden, has a simple sloping lid on a chest-like carcase and with turned corner-posts forming the legs.
Gothic: Writing-slopes sometimes supported on panelled stands with some carved decoration.
Renaissance: In Italy, scholars’ studies were fitted with desks, sometimes flat-topped and free-standing but more often fixtures with sloped tops. A painting in Venice by Carpaccio, about 1502-08, shows St Augustine seated at a table with one end attached to wall, the other on a turned support.
Desk and chair of Romanesque form, probably Swedish, from about 12 South German walnut writing-box inlaid with bone, about 1600.
Craftsmen in Augsburg, southern Germany produce elaborate writing cabinets, e.g. one made for Charles V in 1554 by Strohmeier, with numerous drawers, carved with figures symbolic of literature and history. A less grandiose German type is a free-standing table with a compartment placed below the top. Many tables used as desks in Germany, Low Countries, Scandinavia are based on designs by Vredeman de Vries published about 1588. In that year, Spanish power suffers setback, but rich decoration continues to be lavished
on the vargu&o (writing cabinet) with vertical fall- front serving as a work surface, the interior fitted with many small Spanish iron-bound walnut vargueno grouped around a central cupboard. Related type (papeleira) has drawers for papers but no writing-leaf. Both types have Portuguese equivalents.
Spanish boa.
Mainly local woods for construction. Augsburg craftsmen use great variety for intarsia work. After 1500, Spain and Portugal import ebony, rosewood, mahogany, jacaranda, silver from New World.
Writing-slopes simply constructed, using nails or coarse dovetail joints. Augsburg writing-cabinets finely constructed with mortise-and-tenon, dovetail joints. Spanish vargueno assembled with flush boards forming tops, bottoms and ends, coarsely dovetailed together; drawers crudely made; early stands on
turned legs or shaped supports with wrought-iron stretchers.
Renaissance writing-slopes often carved with strapwork; interior surface of slope in Italian examples sometimes painted naively with religious subjects. Augsburg writing  cabinets inlaid with architectural fantasies.
Drawer-fronts of Spanish varguenos faced with carved ‘Romayne’ heads in boxwood or vory, overlaid with fretted silver, inlaid with abstract patterns with strong Mudjar (Moorish) influence.
Simpler types oiled, waxed or varnished. Carvings on luxurious types often gilded. Exteriors of varguenos sometimes covered with velvet and mounted with wrought-iron.
Very few authentic examples earlier than 16thC appear on open market. Attractive writing-slopes often sell at modest prices. German writing cabinets expensive. Spanish varguenos not really dear considering the wealth of decoration and indeed their decorative value.
The vargueno continued to be made in Renaissance style until 19thC. Later examples should be regarded not so much as fakes or reproductions — more as traditional status symbols.
Louis XIV boulle bureau Mazarin
Table types: Still in late- Renaissance, mannerist style of Vredeman de Vries, brought up to date with richer carved decoration by son’s designs – Versheyden Schrynwerk– published 1630, widely used in northern Europe throughout 17thC. By about 1650, legs developed heavier, baroque turnings, very busy-looking in Portugal. In Holland, from about 1660, writing-tables on spiral legs fitted with one drawer in frieze.
From about 1680, the flat-topped bureau Mazarin– prototype pedestal desk with kneehole – appears in France, well after death in 1661 of Cardinal Mazarin. Made also in Italy, especially Piedmont.
Cabinet types: In Holland from about 1675, medieval form of desk is adapted by moving hinges of slope from top edge to bottom so that it opens out as flat writing-surface supported by lopers (sliding bearers) or, a method soon abandoned, with gates forming part of separate stand with turned legs. About Dutch slope-front bureau.
Northern ltalian bureau cabinet, about 1715.
1700, stand may still be table type (cabriole legs from about 1710), or chest of drawers type, often with cabinet above. In early 18thC bureau-cabinet develops complex features: concave drawer-fronts in Germany; double-dome tops in Holland.
Fall-front secretaire has a flat top above vertical fall, with drawers filling space below. Spanish version – vargueno– continues as obligatory status symbol, but is often mounted on chest of drawers type base which, in many examples now on market, is old but not original.
Favourite wood internationally is walnut, used in solid and veneer forms, with ebony and wide variety of woods for marquetry and banding. Veneers laid on foundation of oak or pine which, together with walnut, chestnut, elm and poplar, according to regional availability, are used for drawer linings. Some Dutch
bureau-cabinets have mirror glass doors, similar to English. Ivory and bone for inlay; brass, pewter and turtleshell for boullework. Brass handles, lockplates; locks fitted with brass screws (see below).
Bureau-Mazarin: Eight scrolled or square, tapered legs, arranged in sets of four, each set joined by X-shaped stretchers, support carcase fitted with three drawers (fronts often slightly bowed) each side, one at centre, and a recessed cupboard in kneehole. In northern Italy, the number of legs is sometimes reduced from eight to six.
Bureau-cabinet: Originally constructed in three separate sections — chest of drawers base supporting sloped desk with two-door cabinet above; about 1700, base and desk are integrated; cabinet always separate.
Desk Fall-front secretaire: Carcase in one piece, lower part fitted with drawers; large writing-leaf, in vertical position when closed, supported on iron stays when open.
Shallow ,map drawer’ in frieze, disguised as moulding.
Secret drawers, when found behind overt ones in interiors, often appear new and unused since the day they were made.
Bureaux-Mazarins: Boullework or floral marquetry in France; inlaid figures in bone or ivory in northern Italy (Turin especially).
Bureaux, bureau-cabinets, secretaires: Some provincial types in solid wood have carved decoration in baroque style, but most are veneered in walnut inlaid with geometric bandings; floral or ’seaweed’ marquetry in Holland, banded in boxwood ornamented with penwork in black ink. Heavy moulding, especially in Germany.
Solid types oiled, varnished or left natural. Veneered types varnished, waxed.
Really fine bureaux- Mazarins and bureaux-cabinets for the seriously rich. Bureaux can be bought at sensible prices. Fall-front secretaires often reasonable because large writing-leaf creates problems in small rooms.
From late-17thC onwards, screws used for fixing locks, hinges. Early screws usually brass, only slightly tapered, with irregular threads filed by hand. Lathe-turned screws with regular thread from about 1750, but still without much taper, and slot across head to receive screwdriver is rarely centred precisely. Sharply tapered, machine-made steel screws with slot usually dead centre not in general use until about 1850.
Left, before 1750; centre. 1750-1850; right, after 1850.
Cabinet base rests on the desk, which sits on the base to form a unit.

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Antique French and Italian Desks (1715-1770)
Louis XV kingwood bureau plat with serpentine top.
In France, about 1715, the bureau-Mazarin with eight legs and banks of drawers is replaced, probably by Boulle, with the bureau plat (flat-topped writing-table) on four cabriole legs with only three drawers set in line in the frieze, the centre one slightly recessed. Veneers are protected, especially on outside angles of legs, with ormolu mounts. By 1750, bureau plat in fully developed Louis XV style is an assembly of flowing curves, sometimes without drawers in frieze to detract from its elegance, sometimes with cartonnier
(separate, matching rack of shelves for documents) placed at end next to wall. Flowing lines followed in solid French provincial and Swiss versions.
About 1760, the secretaire-a-capucin (or a-la-Bourgogne) is made by Vandercruse and others; a small table on cabriole legs when closed, but when folding top is extended, a mechanism releases a bank of drawers. The bonheur-du-jour is also a lady’s desk, but with Louis W kingwood and parquetry bureau de dame.
bank of drawers and/or pigeonholes permanently in position. The bureau-de-dame is on cabriole legs and in its early form has a sloped fall, modified by Oeben who replaces it with a tambour composed of slats glued to fabric and running in curved grooves. He invents cylinder-top desk for Louis XV – solid, curved lid moving in grooves – unfinished on Oeben’s death in 1763 and completed by Riesener, 1769; considered finest piece of French 18thC furniture extant.
The secretaire-a-abattant is a revival of late-17thC secretaire with vertical fall, but carcase often has bombe curves. Rococo curves become less marked during transitional period in 1760s, when royal mistresses, de Pompadour and (later) du Barry help steer court taste in direction of neo-classicism.
German birch bureau-cabinet, mid-18th century.
In Germany, the bureau-cabinet remains favourite form of desk. Rococo decoration is applied to heavy, shaped carcases. In some, cabinet section has cabriole feet resting on top of bureau. Makers include Schnell in Dresden and Hermann of Bamberg, who also produces writing-table in French style about 1765 with tambour top. Lighter types of bureau without cabinet produced by Roentgen family at Neuwied. Danish and Finnish examples mostly follow German. In Holland, bureau-cabinet retains heavy baroque flavour with rococo touches; base has boldly canted corners, top of cabinet is often stepped to hold oriental vases. In Italy bureau-cabinet reaches dizzy heights of rococo extravagance, notably at hands of Piffeti, Turin. Simpler bureaux were made in Tuscany.
Northern Italian walnut bombe bureau, mid-18th century.
Sophisticated types: Exotic veneers, e.g. kingwood, tulipwood, citrus.
Provincial types: Solid cherry, walnut.
Bureau, bureau-cabinet: Basically as for previous period, but elaborate shaping of carcase in German examples achieved by ‘brick’ system – building up with small sections.
Bureau plat: Rails tenoned into tops of cabriole legs; top of sophisticated type framed up and fixed to rails with pegs and glue-blocks. Top of French provincial type made up with solid boards, tongued and grooved.
French: Delicate marquetry on fall of bureaude-dame and secretaire-a-abattant bureau plat more reliant on fine veneers and elaborate ormolu mounts; e.g. Cressent, cabinet-maker to Regent during minority of Louis XV, sets fashion for espagnolettes– mounts cast as busts of nymphs and fauns.
German and Italian: Elaborate carving and marquetry for bureau-cabinets; cresting on cabinet can be wildly asymmetrical. Best Dresden work has very fine ormolu mounts.
Veneers varnished, sanded down and waxed. German carving parcel-gilt – i.e. details gilded in contrast to woodwork. In Italy, painting with lacca; Venice specializes in lacca povera (lacca contrafatta) – prints by Bassano del Grappa of Remondini, glued to coloured ground and varnished.
Ostentatious pieces bring very high prices and demand handsome settings. Best buy is probably French provincial bureau plat in cherry or walnut.
Principal maker of bureau-cabinets in mid-18thC Copenhagen was Ortmann, who numbered all his products and pasted a trade label inside. Some were disposed of as prizes in lotteries, and could turn up anywhere.
Finnish oak bureau-cabinet, mid-18thC.

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Art Nouveau and Art Deco DESKS About 1890-1940
Belgian art nouveau desk by Gustave Serrurier-Bovy, about 1910.
Art nouveau, 1890-1920: About 1898 van de Velde designs desk with kidney-shaped top mounted on pedestals with drawers and bookshelf extensions. Majorelle’s 1905 writing-tables with dished tops on heavy, semicabriole legs reinterpret rococo. Many commercially manufactured bureau-cabinets are asymmetrical, with shelving on one side of fall.
Modernist, 1920-40: Functional flat-top desks for home and office, including some asymmetrical types – pedestal of drawers on one side only – prototype for typist’s desk.
Built-in fitments often combine writing-surfaces with bookshelves.
Art Deco, 1920-40: Running concurrently with modernist functionalism, Art Deco designers frequently borrow from it – e.g. asymmetrical arrangements of drawers, but for dramatic effect rather than practical convenience. Rich materials lavished on domestic writing-tables and vast office desks for tycoons. Period also offers many unspectacular but satisfying desks of all types, simply designed and well-made.
Art nouveau: Main preferences walnut and mahogany; variety of woods for marquetry.
Modernist: Oak, ash, elm. Glass or leather for tops, tubular steel frames for desks in Le Corbusier’s style.
Art Deco: Mahogany, walnut, figured ebony, fine skins and leathers for tops. Plywood for drawer-bottoms and backs of cheaper products.
Art nouveau: Best examples almost entirely hand-made, though Majorelle uses machinery for shaping complex curves.
Modernist: Ideologically non-traditional, many makers use screws or bolts in place of
mortise-and-tenon joints. Attempts at producing inexpensive furniture often fail because capable machines not yet developed.
Art Deco: Best work, e.g. desks by Ruhlmann of Paris, hand-crafted; flashy types mass-produced by using machines for planing, dovetailing, cutting mortises, but hand-assembled.
Almost by definition, modernism avoids decoration. Good art nouveau and Art Deco use carving, marquetry, inlay in silver and semiprecious stones, ormolu mounts (Majorelle’s speciality). Cheaper art nouveau bureau-cabinets have leaded light glass doors, large bronzed metal hinges.
Art nouveau: Better examples waxed, secondary ones French polished.
Modernist: Often brightly painted.
Art Deco: Better pieces hand-finished, using thin skins (skivers) for writing surfaces. Cheap products sprayed with cellulose; writing-surfaces inset with imitation leather.
Top quality desks, if suitable for executive suites, are disproportionately expensive because they are being paid for out of company funds rather than private money. Best private buys are probably simply designed 1930s desks and bureaux using mostly solid hardwoods.
LEATHER TOPS
Never reject a basically good flat-topped desk because the leather top is shabby. Re-leathering is not unduly expensive, and transforms the appearance.

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DESKS: ENGLISH BUREAUX AND BUREAUX CABINETS
About 1690-1740
Walnut veneered two-part bureau, about 1700.
Acombination of the bureau on stand and the escritoire, having an upper desk section with a fitted interior mounted on a chest of drawers; can have a cabinet above with further interior fittings for ledgers, papers.
Initially made in two sections with applied ‘waist’ moulding around join. (Moulding sometimes retained for decorative effect, even when made in one piece.)
Base: Until about 1725, square (oak) lopers at top, thereafter rectangular. May have single or pair of drawer(s) between, above two or three long drawers of graduated size, or blank space fronting a well with sliding top accessible from desk interior. A well suggests a slightly earlier date.
Usually narrow moulding at base. Bun feet until about 1710, then bracket. (Many buns replaced with brackets at later date; modern trend is to revert to type.)
A few have full-width writing-slide at top, usually with corresponding book-rest moulding on fall.
For details of drawer fronts, etc. see CHESTS OF DRAWERS, p. 86.
Desk: Sloping fall; generally flush with surrounding framework. Sometimes ovolo lip moulding around 1710-1720, matching drawers below. Narrow cock-beading introduced about 1730. Top always flush with sides; never overhanging.
Interior fittings: Plenty of variation, but always symmetrically arranged and set back from front edge. Simplest with open pigeon holes (often with arched top and aprons) and maybe two or three shallow drawers below, frequently of undulating outline. Early interiors generally stepped (later on country versions), with drawers of convex or concave section. Best have central cupboard flanked by pilasters (the grandest with ormolu or gilt brass capitals). Secret compartment usually concealed behind; reached by removal of
shelf, drawer or other fittings.
Upper cabinet: Sits within applied moulding. Two, occasionally one door(s). Fashionable early pieces panelled with mirror glass (with bevelled edges), but can be wooden, finished both inside and out, as doors were often left open to show off elaborate interior. This has further drawers and pigeon-holes etc. all flush with front. Some partitions tall and narrow for ledgers, folios.
Moulded cornice above may be:
straight
domed (single arch)
broken dome
double dome (most highly prized in its day)
broken architectural (i.e. straight-edged) pediment (found after 1725 and on mahogany only)
All with finial(s) at centre and/or sides.
Mirrored cabinets may have pair of candle slides at base (so that light could be reflected in glass). Both features went out of fashion around 1740.
Principally -walnut veneer on pine carcase (with oak for drawer linings). Occasionally other figured veneers of mulberry, yew etc. Mahogany after about 1725.
Oak for some country and provincial pieces;
sometimes elm, ash or other indigenous woods.
Oak and walnut for interior fittings, sometimes with inlay of box, holly, bone.
Standard methods employed (see CHESTS OF DRAWERS for details, p. 87). Basically veneer on dovetailed carcase; through dovetails increasingly replaced by lapped after 1700.
Double-lapped on bureau top.
Figured veneers were often used only on top and front (i.e. the most visible surfaces) with vertically-running, straight-grained veneer on the sides.
Hinged fall cleated for stability (to prevent warping). Expect signs of damage to hinges and around lock due to faulty handling.
Usually  but not invariably  cabinet cornice integral with carcase until about 1725; thereafter more commonly separate piece, merely sitting on top with glued corner blocks to carcase to maintain position.
FAKEBUREAUX
Because of their very high value, fakes and marriages of early walnut bureaux and bureaux cabinets are not uncommon. Check for matching grain and colour of all timbers, and for matching interior and base drawer construction. The top of the bureau section should be rough, dry and untouched, with no signs of new timber, if a cabinet was originally present.
Newly-veneered  but originally plain and solid  oak bureaux may also be encountered, not infrequently veneered with old timber taken from a less valuable piece. So even though the veneer itself may look right (i.e. hand-cut and of irregular thickness, about 1/8 inch/3 mm) the all-oak carcase will indicate this practice. The interior fittings will either be too plain for the outer casing, or will also have been veneered, or even replaced. Check for signs of new wood and see if the drawer construction matches that of the large drawers below. See also if signs of former handles inside the drawers correspond with filled holes outside.
Principally figuring of timber, especially burr veneers. Additional effects achieved by cross-
banding, feather banding, quartering. Occasionally fine marquetry; mostly floral, preferably seaweed, patterns.
Handles: Typical for day (for details see page 87.) Earliest with brass drop handles (smaller inside than out; seldom matching). Thereafter brass bails with solid backplates outside, smaller ring handles with circular backplates inside. Interior fittings more commonly have small bone, ivory or brass knobs. Fan-shaped pulls common on lopers until about 1725, then brass knobs.
All drawers and fall fitted with locks and surface-mounted escutcheons.
Generally large brass carrying handles at sides; usually on both parts of two-piece base; only occasionally matching those on drawers.
Oak: Stain (applied in oil).
Walnut: Varnish (to fill grain). Mahogany: Varnish or oil stain.
All followed by wax polish (for further details see CHESTS OF DRAWERS, p. 82).
VALUES
Early walnut pieces extremely valuable, especially those with cabinets; prices can be counted in tens of thousands. Original handles and bun feet  although both unlikely  an advantage; so too interesting veneer, intricately shaped and stepped interior fittings.
Walnut bureau cabinet, about 1700.

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DESKS: OAK AND MAHOGANY BUREAUX AND BUREAUX CABINETS
About 1740 onwards
Now made in one piece, with or without an additional upper cabinet or bookcase. A piece of furniture which changed very little over the following 150 years and which has been widely reproduced for a further century.
OAK BUREAUX
Oak bureaux were made in large numbers by provincial and country makers throughout the 18th and well into the 19thC. Unlike much other oak country furniture, many of these are of
considerable quality and sophisticated design and construction, and as such, command high prices.
Base: Rectangular (oak) lopers at top with
Mahogany bureau bookcase, about 1770.
single or pair of drawer(s) between, above two or three long drawers of graduated depth. Sometimes three deep drawers only after 1800. Mostly cock-beaded edges. Sometimes mahogany cross-banding on oak. From about 1780 drawers occasionally replaced by two-door cupboard (but only when cabinet above). Bracket feet with straight apron; ogee brackets fashionable between 1730 and 1775. Occasionally swept feet after 1780.
Desk: Flap mostly cock-beaded around edge (matching drawers below); sometimes ovolo lip moulding on solid mahogany after 1780.
Interior fittings: Symmetrically arranged and set back from front edge. Less frequently stepped; straight-fronted drawers increasingly common. Almost invariably central cupboard flanked by pilasters; usually secret compartment behind.
Upper cabinets: Majority glazed by 1750 with interior shelves for display of books, china etc. Decorative patterns of glazing bars,
Below, alternative designs for glazing bars.
Country-made oak bureau with mahogany cross-banding on drawers, 1760-1770.
Hepplewhite mahogany bureau, about 1780-1800.
astragals etc. (see BOOKCASES, p. 37). Otherwise wood-panelled (also with shelves rather than fitments inside) often of shaped outline.
Cornice can be:
1725-1800 broken architectural pediment with central vase or bust.
1760-1810 swan-neck pediment, pierced or solid, also central vase or bust.
1780-1810 straight, with dentil or other moulding.
1800-1830 straight with central and side antefixae or carved and scrolled, frequently with central anthemion.
All can have decorative frieze carved with prevailing fashionable design. Chinese and Gothic motifs fashionable to about 1780; thereafter, fluting interspersed with paterae was most common.
Tendency for whole piece to become wider and taller around 1760, but smaller again towards 1800.
REPRODUCTIONS
18thC bureaux a popular subject for Victorian and Edwardian reproductions (and pastiches), particularly after 1870. Some reasonably authentic, many definitely not. Even those of standard form often given away by inappropriate feet or vulgarly matched veneers. Most popular today are those in Edwardian ‘Sheraton’ style with bold satinwood cross-banding and single inlaid shell in centre of fall.
Out of the mainstream of design, but surprisingly numerous today, are rather tall, angular oak bureaux, with a number of open shelves and small cupboards flanking the desk section, which were made in progressive style from 1900.
Hepplewhite mahogany bureau, about 1780-1800.
astragals etc. (see BOOKCASES, p. 37). Otherwise wood-panelled (also with shelves rather than fitments inside) often of shaped outline.
Cornice can be:
1725-1800 broken architectural pediment with central vase or bust.
1760-1810 swan-neck pediment, pierced or solid, also central vase or bust.
1780-1810 straight, with dentil or other moulding.
1800-1830 straight with central and side antefixae or carved and scrolled, frequently with central anthemion.
All can have decorative frieze carved with prevailing fashionable design. Chinese and Gothic motifs fashionable to about 1780; thereafter, fluting interspersed with paterae was most common.
Tendency for whole piece to become wider and taller around 1760, but smaller again towards 1800.
REPRODUCTIONS
18thC bureaux a popular subject for Victorian and Edwardian reproductions (and pastiches), particularly after 1870. Some reasonably authentic, many definitely not. Even those of standard form often given away by inappropriate feet or vulgarly matched veneers. Most popular today are those in Edwardian ‘Sheraton’ style with bold satinwood cross-banding and single inlaid shell in centre of fall.
Out of the mainstream of design, but surprisingly numerous today, are rather tall, angular oak bureaux, with a number of open shelves and small cupboards flanking the desk section, which were made in progressive style from 1900.
Various pediments: A broken, about 1730-1830; B swan-neck, 1760-1810; Cplain dentil, 1725-1800; D moulded dentil,- E Regency scroll, 1800-1830.
Majority in mahogany (either solid or veneered); closely followed by oak. Sometimes elm (or combination of oak and elm), ash and other indigenous woods.
Pine (with oak for drawer linings) for carcases and backboards, also cheap Honduras mahogany around 1760. Pine or beech when japanned.
Oak or mahogany for interior fittings. Sometimes with inlay of box, holly, bone; later harewood, kingwood, satinwood too. Satinwood facings to mahogany drawers common in late 18thC.
Hidden or lapped dovetails.
Flaps clamped to prevent warping.
Upper cabinets held in place with screws fixed through bottom shelf.
Sometimes figured veneers used for front (i.e. most visible) parts with straight-grained veneer on sides.
Marriages even more common than previously; check carefully (see p. 89).
Principally figuring of veneers. Some restrained carving on upper cabinets. Simple mahogany cross-banding on some oak pieces. Some inlay on drawers after 1780; mostly simple stringing lines, sometimes shells, fans and so on.
Japanning; mostly in black, but can be red or green with gilt and coloured chinoiserie patterns. Original examples of these are rare today; many are 20thC reproductions. Decoration alone usually gives these away, being more convincingly Oriental and covering a greater surface area than before, with plenty of gilding, especially in the borders. Flat, engraved hinges, escutcheons and handle back-plates identical if modern, irregular if old.
Note: a small amount of English-made furniture was shipped to China in the 18thC to be decorated by Chinese craftsmen, a procedure which can lead to confusion over origin.
Examples are however extremely rare and unlikely to be encountered outside the top salerooms. Lacquer is a specialist subject; it’s always best to seek expert advice if considering a purchase.
Handles: Typical for day (for details see page 87). Mostly swan-neck and other bails. Interior fittings with small bone, ivory or brass knobs.
All drawers and flap fitted with locks and escutcheons. Latter nearly always surface-mounted on flap, skeleton on drawers after 1750. Inlaid diamond (often bone or ivory) became common around flap keyhole after about 1780.
Oak: stain (applied with oil).
Mahogany: stain or varnish.
Both followed by wax polish. French polish almost universal after 1820. Many earlier pieces re-polished in this way at later date.
VALUES
Plenty of choice so price very variable. Small size (less than 2.5 feet/75 cm) will add to value considerably, as will a fine interior and attractively glazed and pedimented cabinet.
Usually, good country-made oak bureaux are generally worth more than reasonable quality 19thC mahogany examples.
Prices for virtually all standard bureaux (excluding pastiches) are in four figures, and frequently in five.
Edwardian ‘Sheraton’ bureau bookcase.
Oak bureau in Liberty’s Arts and Crafts style.

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