The Antique Furniture Company

Description

This is a nice early Regency flame mahogany secretaire bookcase featuring ebonised mouldings and crossbanding to the secretaire drawer. It is possibly Irish with the lion masks to the handles.

The top has an domed cornice with crossbanding and ebonised detailing to the frieze above two astragal glazed doors finished with a brass edge rail to the right door. The left door has square section catches to the top and bottom and the right has a lock with a brass escutcheon (but no key). The interior has three adjustable shelves each 30.8cm (12 1/8in) deep which rest in grooved channels.

The chest base has a deep secretaire drawer fitted with various pigeon holes and satinwood fronted drawers with iv-ory handles and quarter sawn oak linings. A push-button mechanism to the side hinges allow the front to drop down for use as a writing surface measuring 98.5cm wide x 44cm deep (38 3.4in x 17 1/4in). The drawers all have cockbeading, their original brass lion mask knob handles and are all fitted with locks and brass escutcheons. The whole piece rests on four square section tapering legs.

CONDITION

This is in very good condition overall and has a lovely colour and grain to the front. The sides are slightly faded as is often the case, on the bottom drawer one of the handles is dented and the other is missing it's back plate. On the inside some of the iv-ory handles are broken, there are ink stains and some veneer loss to the edge join, the nuts for the handles are also visible as the recesses have not been filled.

Please contact me and I can send you a link to the full catalogue of photos for this item.

The overall dimensions at the largest points are approximately
Width 108cm (42 1/2in)
Depth 54cm (21 1/4in)
Height 202cm (79 1/2in)
For transportation and moving this bookcase splits into three sections (cornice, bookcase top and chest base). When assembled the bookcase top section should screwed to the base through the lower shelf.

Delivery can be arranged to most UK mainland destinations for £95 and is usually within 31 days.

Ref 0181