Massive Regency Library Attributed to Gillows of Lancaster & London

Beautifully designed display cabinet in brass and glass with adjustable single shelf not shown very much in the manner of Osvaldo Borsani. Illuminates from above.

This turn of the century vitrine out of a French perfume shop is double sided with large hand made beveled glass panes on both doors. Key on one side, glass shelves on both sides, pl...

Signed Cesena - decorative painting of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. Storage cabinet to right side. Glass shelves shown are a few but can take more (glass shelves are included) as well...

A fantastic ebonized wood cabinet with extensive storage with two large lateral doors opening to shelves, central open storage and sliding glass windows for display. Hardware/meda...

Very heavy and well crafted, this iron and wood ètagerè features X-frame sides. This is very tall, approximately 8 feet and in wonderful original vintage condition.

5 shelves and all original, this natural rattan and bamboo etagere with beautiful lattice side panels and base.

A superb Regency flame mahogany four door breakfront bookcase attributed to Gillows of Lancaster, surmounted with pierced lattice work, cresting above four geometric glazed doors, wi...

We are delighted to offer this very large and collectable fully restored Regency circa 1810-1820 metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps after the original 18th century design by Gillows of Lancaster. This wonderful piece of English history has been on a journey of restoration, the frame has been washed back and French polished by a Victorian trained polisher, the leather upholstery has been stripped back, hand dyed six times, antiqued and sealed, it has a lovely rich reddish brown colour to it. This chair is larger than any other of its type you would have seen, it is a important and extremely expensive looking thing that commands attention in any setting. The original made by Gillows can currently be viewed in the Victorian & Albert museum, below is an extra from their listing. The period 1800-1825 was a great one for ‘patent’ or ‘metamorphic’ furniture This chair, which transforms into a short set of steps for use with bookshelves, is close to a design for a ‘Library Chair’ published in Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of the Arts in July 1811, which was made by the London firm of Morgan and Saunders, of Catherine Street, Strand. They were well known for their ingenious furniture, including reading chairs with writing surfaces attached and a great variety of travelling beds...

A magnificent George III period seven door breakfront library bookcase. Constructed in the finest quality figured mahogany, having a moulded cornice above seven astragal glazed doors...

We are delighted to offer for sale this large and collectable fully restored Regency circa 1810-1820 metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London This wonderful piece of English history has been on a journey of restoration, the frame has been washed back and French polished by a Victorian trained polisher, the leather upholstery is all new, it is Italian cattle hide, upholstered plain then hand dyed six times, antiqued and sealed, it has a lovely rich reddish brown colour to it. This chair is larger than any other of its type you would have seen, it is an important and extremely expensive looking thing that commands attention in any setting. You can see the same model made by Gillows currently viewed in the Victorian & Albert Museum, below is an extra from their listing. The period 1800-1825 was a great one for ‘patent’ or ‘metamorphic’ furniture This chair, which transforms into a short set of steps for use with bookshelves, is close to a design for a ‘Library Chair’ published in Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of the Arts in July 1811, which was made by the London firm of Morgan and Saunders, of Catherine Street, Strand. They were well known for their ingenious furniture, including reading chairs with writing surfaces attached and a great variety of travelling beds...

A late Regency rosewood breakfront open bookcase, attributed to Gillows, of rectangular form with three adjustable shelves, with tooled leather dust fringes, divided by four fluted p...

A large and impressive late Regency six door mahogany bookcase attributed to Gillows, the upper section with a triple breakfront cornice above glazed doors with brass diamond trellis grilles, each enclosing adjustable shelves, the base with panelled cupboards decorated with book-matched flame veneers between turned columns with palmette terminals. English, circa 1815. Footnote. A double Breakfront Library Bookcase Attributed to Gillows of Lancaster, c.1820 The bookcase of large form but of elegant proportions, having a pleasing low waist, always desirable on case furniture of this sort, brass grilles, a plinth base veneered in the finest mahogany and intriguing inlaid quatrefoil shaped escutcheons to the central doors. Designed in the early 19th century “Roman” fashion, this bookcase is one of a small group of such pieces that have been linked in the past to designs provided by the Wyatt family of architects (see for example a bookcase of remarkably similar form offered by Christie’s in London on the 16th of December 2010 with an estimate of £40-£60,000). Although any link with Wyatt must remain purely speculative, the attribution of this bookcase to the firm of Gillows of Lancaster can be made with a much higher degree of confidence. This attribution is based partly on a fine suite of similar library bookcases supplied to Tatton Park and discussed in detail by Dr. Susan Stuart in Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840, page 375-377, plates 443 & 444. Of even greater interest is a design for a complete...