Reference: R19
Approximate Age: Victorian c.1860
Principal Wood: Mahogany
Size:
59"(w) x 31"(d)
150cm(w) x 79cm(d)
Price: £3,950
The Dickens desk became popular in Victorian
England in the third quarter of the nineteenth century.
This example has
the characteristic features of twin pedestals, supporting a top with a moulded
edge and three separate gold tooled green leather inset writing surfaces. The
fixed superstructure to the rear of the top contains eight small drawers secured
in place by two lockable hinged side flaps, which flank a central turned
baluster gallery. At the top of each of the arrangements of small drawers there is
a miniature gallery to three sides. There are scrolled brackets to the top of each of the inner
and outer stiles, which flank the eight small drawers of the superstructure.
The generous space underneath the hinged writing
slope can be accessed by raising the slope in the same way as the hinged lid of a traditional school desk. This
reveals a useful storage space and a pair of small twin handled drawers faced in
bird's eye maple, with stationery compartments of various sizes and
configurations.
The total of sixteen functional drawers to the
front facing elevation are all lockable and each has twin turned wooden knob
handles. There is a central dummy drawer in the frieze beneath the writing slope,
which contains the lock for the slope itself.
