Object Description
An Extremely Good Quality Early 19th Century Regency Period Mahogany Small Whatnot, Or Étagère, Having Three Extremely Well Figured Tiers, United By Elegant Turned Upright Supports, The Top Tier Retaining Its Original Pierced Brass Gallery, Raised On Elegant Turned Tapering Feet With Original Brass Castors.
There are a huge variety of these low Étagères, or Whatnots, to be found on the market these days, largely due to their incredible versatility and practicality within the home.
This particular example is one of the very best that you will find. It possesses the classic square, low proportions associated with the finest Regency examples, whilst also being of an exceptionally useful and functional size. It has been constructed using beautifully figured, superior quality mahogany timbers and displays an excellent standard of craftsmanship throughout. Most importantly, however, it is genuinely Regency in date, which is significantly rarer than the later 19th and early 20th century examples so commonly encountered today.
The word Étagère is derived from the French term for a set of open freestanding shelves and although, in England, the term Whatnot is more commonly used, the two phrases are now considered largely interchangeable. Generally speaking, however, Whatnot tends to describe the taller, larger variations of this design, whereas Étagère is more often associated with smaller and more refined examples such as this.
As with all items which we offer for sale, this piece has been inspected and attended to within our workshops by our highly skilled antique furniture restorers. It has received a natural wax polish and is therefore presented in excellent condition, ready for immediate placement within the home following purchase.