Object Description
This is an important antique Dutch walnut and marquetry bureau bookcase, circa 1780 in date.
It has been made from the finest burr walnut with fabulous marquetry decoration depicting vases of flowers, exotic birds, ribbons, floral bouquets and garlands.
It has a carved, arch centred pediment with leafy cresting, above a pair of marquetry panelled doors that open to reveal an interior with a central breakarched door that opens to a cupboard with two shelves. The cupboard is flanked by shelves with further shelves above and a pair of candle slides below.
The shaped bureau fall opens to reveal a central cupboard flanked by small drawers, pigeon holes and secret compartments. The fall is fitted with an inset green leather and gold tooled writing surface.
The bombe’ serpentine base has three capacious full width drawers above an elegant shaped apron.
It stands on it’s beautiful original lion’s paw feet and has it’s original ormolu handles, escutcheons, locks and mounts.
It is a decorative and stunning piece which will look amazing anywhere placed.
Complete with working locks and keys.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 240 x Width 136 x Depth 66
Dimensions in inches:
Height 7 foot, 10 inches x Width 4 foot, 5 inches x Depth 2 foot, 2 inches
Marquetry
is decorative artistry where pieces of material (such as wood, mother of pearl, pewter, brass silver or shell) of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers.
The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, called opere di commessi, has medieval parallels in Central Italian “Cosmati”-work of inlaid marble floors, altars and columns. The technique is known in English as pietra dura, for the “hardstones” used: onyx, jasper, cornelian, lapis lazuli and colored marbles. In Florence, the Chapel of the Medici at San Lorenzo is completely covered in a colored marble facing using this demanding jig-sawn technique.
Techniques of wood marquetry were developed in Antwerp and other Flemish centers of luxury cabinet-making during the early 16th century. The craft was imported full-blown to France after the mid-seventeenth century, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury being made at the royal manufactory of the Gobelins, charged with providing furnishings to decorate Versailles and the other royal residences of Louis XIV. Early masters of French marquetry were the Fleming Pierre Golle and his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, who founded a dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers (ébénistes) and gave his name to a technique of marquetry employing shell and brass with pewter in arabesque or intricately foliate designs.
Walnut
The Walnut woods are probably the most recognisable and popular of all the exotic woods, having been used in furniture making for many centuries. Walnut veneer was highly priced and the cost would reflect the ‘fanciness’ of the veneer – the more decorative, then the more expensive and desirable.
Figured Walnut and Burr Walnut (often referred to as Burl Walnut) were considered as the most attractive varieties of Walnut. Burr Walnut veneer was taken from the specific part of the tree where ‘growths’ sprouting smaller branches and/ or roots would occur. As these ‘growth’ areas were limited in both occurrence and size, larger veneers were hard to source and often on bigger furniture (tables, desks, bureaus, cabinets etc), these veneers would have to be carefully joined by matching up the pieces or blending them together.
Our reference: A2588