An Early 18th Century Burr Walnut Bureau

An extremely fine late Queen Anne/George I period bureau. The drawer fronts, fall and top all veneered in burr walnut, crossbanded and with herringbone inlay. The sides, veneered in plain walnut, also crossbanded, and retaining the original carrying handles.

The fall opens to reveal a well-fitted serpentine-shaped interior of small drawers around a central cupboard. Below the fall is a cross-grained waist moulding, above two short and three long drawers, all retaining the original engraved brass handles and escutcheons. The bureau stands on the original well-shaped bracket feet.

An interesting paper label attached the back-boards explains the bureau was for many years part of the furnishings of Vrynylan, Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire, a house stayed in, in 1986, by Jimmy and Rosalind Carter when visiting the Towy Valley for a fishing trip.  The paper label goes on to provide us with Aunt Dickie’s special recipe for polish. Whatever one’s opinion of the recipe, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, this is the very best colour and patina of any piece of walnut I have seen.

English, circa 1710-15.

38 inches wide, 43 inches high, 21.5 inches deep.

Ref 748