Biedermeier Secretaire, Mahogany with Marquetry, Flensburg/Germany, circa 1815

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Biedermeier Secretaire, Mahogany with Marquetry, Flensburg/Germany, circa 1815

About the Item

Flensburg writing cabinet Northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein) Mahogany Biedermeier, circa 1815 Dimensions: H x W x D: 210 x 91 x 49 cm Description: Very rare early Biedermeier secretary veneered in mahogany on oak. Extremely narrow with only 91 cm width. Straight-line piece of furniture standing on block feet with three large drawers in the lower section. The lowest drawer is slightly protruding as a plinth. Above the drawer, the piece of furniture is divided and can therefore be dismantled. The special highlight of this extraordinary writing cabinet is its extravagant interior. So we find three drawers with masonry marquetry behind the writing flap at the bottom. The outer drawers can be opened with secret fold-out bricks. Centrally, flanked by two half-columns of alabaster, we see a rotating cube. Three small drawers are embedded in one of the sides of the cube. If you turn the cube further, you will look at a marquetry portal made of maple and mahogany. The third side of the cube shows a finely painted portrait of a lady in a radiant frame. A mirror is mounted on the fourth side of the cube. On this side the cube is also locked so that the possibility of turning it is no longer obvious. Three hidden secret drawers are located to the left and right behind a double back wall. The upper end of the interior is formed by three drawers with angular gables and fillet bands. Above the writing compartment there is a further drawer which, fully pulled out, can be folded down and used as a high desk. The three-door attachment conceals further drawers and secret compartments on the inside. Condition: Restored ready to live, shellac hand polished. Perfect, authentic condition. Comparable objects can be found in the technical literature: Georg Himmelheber (publisher C.H. Beck) - Biedermeiermöbel p. 173 Useful information: Biedermeier: The Biedermeier era developed almost at the same time as the Empire and so we find numerous parallels in the design language. Both epochs were characterized by a strictly classicistic and straightforward basic form. Precious woods such as cherry or mahogany, which was very expensive at the time, were popular in both epochs. Walnut, ash, birch and all kinds of fruit woods were also popular. In Biedermeier furniture construction, attention is paid to straight lines and a strictly cubist design. Decorative elements are largely dispensed with, even the geometric fields of the previous Louis XVI era give way in favor of flatness. Carefully selected and mirrored veneers now ensure the design of the surface. Sparsely attached pillars and recessed key plates made of ebony loosen up the flatness. The formal language of the Biedermeier period spread throughout Central Europe from around 1800. We find Biedermeier furniture in regionally different variations in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Hungary, as well as in the Scandinavian region. We call the transition phase to historicism, beginning from the 1840s, the late Biedermeier or Louis-Philippe epoche. In the middle of the 19th century, the strict cubist lines of the Biedermeier were supplemented by more playful shapes and ultimately replaced entirely. Useful informations: Mahogany: Mahogany has always been a popular wood in furniture making. The first mahogany woods were brought to Europe from the West Indies about 450 years ago. Wood from far away countries was expensive and so it was only used for the finest furniture. During the Baroque period, mahogany wood was particularly popular at the French court and in England, where Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton used the wood for their furniture. Dark cubamahogany was used for antique furniture of the Biedermeier and Empire periods. It was used as veneer and was also called pyramid mahogany because of its unmistakable grain. Mahogany has always been considered a very noble wood. This impression was reinforced in the Empire when the wood was combined with gilded bronzes. Since there are many different types of mahogany, there are also many different color variations. Mahogany comes in colors from light reddish to very dark brown. When untreated, mahogany is more likely to be brownish in color. The dark color that we know from antique furniture often only comes out through the shellac. Mahogany is still used today for precious furniture and furnishings, for example in yacht and ship interiors. The mahogany wood used in the creation of our antiques came from India, Africa and from Central and South America.

Dimensions:
Height: 82.68 in (210 cm)Width: 35.83 in (91 cm)Depth: 19.3 in (49 cm)
Style:
Biedermeier (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany,Oak,Marquetry,Veneer
Place of Origin:
Germany
Period:
1810-1819
Date of Manufacture:
1815
Condition:
Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. In very well restored condition. All the function are in excellent condition and ready to use. Shellac polished. Very rare and unique piece of furniture.
Seller Location:
Greven, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5419220422612