Antique Queen Anne Double Dome Burr Walnut Bureau Bookcase C1720

Here we have a very fine Antique Queen Anne Double Dome Bureau Bookcase in Burr walnut and dated Circa 1720.

Although Queen Anne actually reigned from 1702 until her death in 1714, furniture made after that period is often described as Queen Anne if it is made in the style which became known by that name - this is such a piece and very typical it is too. The top section of this antique bureau is surmounted by a lovely double dome and has the additional feature of a further dome situated on each of the side returns.

Beneath each of these attractive and impressive domes there are doors which are fitted with bevelled mirror plates, probably not of the period, that open in order to give access to a spacious interior fitted with adjustable shelves.

There is another nice touch - below each of the doors there is a useful candle slide.

The lower section has a useful and very attractive fall.

The fall opens to reveal a fitted interior with an inset gold tooled green leather writing surface. There is also a hidden well together with a bank of drawers with concave fronts and a number of useful pigeon holes.

Situated below the fall there are two short drawers which are located to either side of a dummy drawer. Below these there are two half-width drawers and these are situated above a further two long drawers, all of which are banded with herringbone inlay.

As you would expect this bureau offers a wealth of storage - drawers, pigeon holes and shelves. Down below, this substantial bureau bookcase is mounted on later, very substantial, bracket style feet.

All of the drawers in this antique bureau are oak lined and feature hand-cut dovetails. The piece is fitted with brass handles and decorative escutcheons which are typical of the period.

The bureau is supplied with working locks and keys.

Condition

This lovely antique bureau has been fully and expertly restored by our own craftsmen in our own workshops and we are proud to offer it for sale in excellent condition.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 209 x Width 106 x Depth 56

Dimensions in inches:

Height 82.3 x Width 41.7 x Depth 22.0

Walnut & Burr Walnut

Walnut is a hard, dense, tight- grained wood that polishes to a very smooth finish. It is a popular and attractive wood whose colour ranges from near white in the sapwood to a dark hew in the heartwood. When dried in a kiln, walnut wood tends to develop a dull brown colour, but when air-dried can become a rich purplish-brown. Because of its colour, hardness and grain, it is a prized furniture and carving wood. Walnut veneer was highly priced and the cost would reflect the fanciness of the veneer the more decorative, then the more expensive and desirable.

Burr walnut refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.

Walnut "burrs" were often used to make fabulous furniture. Veneer sliced from walnut burl is one of the most valuable and highly prized by cabinet makers and prestige car manufacturers and is also a favourite material for shotgun stocks.

Inlay was commonly used in the production of decorative burr walnut furniture, where pieces of coloured veneers are inlaid into the surface of the walnut, adding delicate or intricate patterns and designs. Inlays normally use various exotic veneers, but other materials such as mother-of-pearl, brass or bone were also be used.

Our reference: 07326

Internal Ref:

07326

Date of manufacture : 18th Century