EARLY 19TH CENTURY BIEDERMEIER EBONISED BIRCH ESCRITOIRE

Description

EARLY 19TH CENTURY BIEDERMEIER EBONISED BIRCH ESCRITOIRE CIRCA 1820.

WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER THIS STUNNING AUSTRIAN BIEDERMEIER PERIOD ESCRITOIRE, OFFERED IN ORIGINAL CONDITION.

MADE AS 1 PIECE, BEAUTIFULLY EBONISED, WITH CONTRASTING INTERIOR AND DECORATED WITH ORMOLU MOUNTS.

CADDY TOP WITH BURR BORDERS AND BRASS BORDER FLOWS DOWN TO THE CORNICE, WITH HAND PAINTED EGG AND DART BORDER AND SURROUNDED BY BRASS LINING.  TOP DOUBLE DOOR CUPBOARD OPENS TO REVEAL A SINGLE FIXED SHELF.  IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PIECE WE FIND THE FALL, WHICH IS DECORATED WITH ORMOLU MOUNTS AND BRASS.  THE FALL DROPS TO REVEAL A STUNNING INTERIOR OF CONTRASTING WOODS, MOUNTS AND MIRRORS.

CENTRAL TABERNACLE IS SURROUNDED ON 4 SIDES BY MIRRORS, AND SHOWCASES THE PULL OUT SECRET WHICH IS STRUNG AND INLAID.  USING ONE OF THE DRAWERS AS A LOCK, THIS PANEL REMOVES TO REVEAL A LIFT OUT TRAY WITH PARTITIONS AND A FURTHER 2 SECRET DRAWERS BELOW.  THIS CENTRE PIECE IS FLANKED EITHER SIDE WITH A BANK OF DRAWERS WITH FURTHER DRAWERS ABOVE AND BELOW.  FALL COMES DOWN TO A DESK HEIGHT OF 31 1/2″ AND WITH STRINGING AND GREEN BAIZE WHICH IS SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR.

BELOW THE FALL IS A DOUBLE DOOR CUPBOARD WHICH CONTAINS A FITTED DRAWER WITH PARTITIONS AND A FURTHER SHELF. STANDING ON 4 BLOCK FEET.

THE WHOLE PIECE IS SHOWCASED BY 2 BURR BIRCH COLUMNS WITH BRASS MOUNTS AND HAND PAINTED DETAILING, FURTHER HAND PAINTED DETAILING AND BURR BORDERS RUN ACROSS THE BOTTOM AND FEET.

1 SMALL BREAK TO BEADED EDGE OF PULL OUT SECRET.  EXPECTED SURFACE MARKS AND VERY MINOR LOSSES TO WOODWORK, EXPECTED AGE SPLITS TO DOOR FRONTS FORM NATURAL SHRINKAGE.  BUT OFFERED IN IT’S ORIGINAL STUNNING CONDITION.