CIRCA 1765

Details

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND FIDDLEBACK MAHOGANY SECRETAIRE-BOOKCASE
Circa 1765
The swan's neck cresting with foliate scrolled pierced fret and Greek-key decoration centered by a later finial with dentil-molded cornice and a pair of astragal glazed doors enclosing two mahogany-fronted adjustable shelves, the serpentine-fronted base with fitted drawer enclosing a ratcheted leather-lined writing-surface and an arrangement of mahogany-lined drawers and pigeon-holes around a central door enclosing a secret compartment, the base further fitted with two short and a long drawer above a conforming arrangement all between blind-fret carved angles raised on shaped bracket feet, the handles probably original, the feet possibly reduced in height
48½ in. (250 cm.) high, 46½ in. (118 cm.) wide, 21¼ in. (54 cm.) deep

Sale room notice

Please note the correct height is 97 in. (246 cm.).

Lot Essay

The cabinet's distinctively patterned glazing bars correspond precisely to those on a bookcase now in the Old Woldbye Museum, Copenhagen that bears an address label for the Golden Square firm of Mayhew and Ince (illustrated in C.Gilbert, ed., Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, p. 270). Certainly, its finely figured mahogany and high quality craftsmanship support an attribution to this pre-eminent firm. This elegant secretaire-cabinet displays a highly unusual arrangement of drawers that appears to be unique.

More from English Furniture

View All