Antique Victorian Marquetry Inlaid Revolving Bookcase 19th Century

View Similar Items

19th Century Mahogany & Marquetry Revolving Bookcase

Antique 19th Century Victorian Oak Revolving Bookcase

19th Century Victorian Mahogany Revolving Bookcase

Antique Victorian Revolving Bookcase Flame Mahogany, 19th C

19th Century Antique revolving bookcase

19th Century Mahogany Revolving Bookcase

Antique Victorian Gonçalo Alves & Marquetry Secretaire Bookcase 19th C

Revolving Bookcase In Walnut With Iron Base-19th Century

19th Century English Victorian Walnut Bookcase

Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Breakfront Open Bookcase 19th C

Revolving Bookcase in Walnut-19th Century

19th Century Mahogany Revolving Open Bookcase

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 13

Antique Victorian Marquetry Inlaid Revolving Bookcase 19th Century

About the Item

This is an exquisite English antique late Victorian mahogany and marquetry inlaid revolving bookcase, circa 1890 in date. The top has elaborate circular foliate marquetry inlaid decoration to the centre as well as satinwood crossbanding around it. The bookcase revolves on a solid cast iron base. The best quality revolving bookcases had cast iron bases, as this meant that they would be sturdy and not tip over when full of books, whereas the lesser versions had simple wooden bases. The quality and attention to detail throughout is second to none. THE BOTANICAL NAME FOR THE MAHOGANY THIS ITEM IS MADE OF IS SWIETENIA MACROPHYLLA AND THIS TYPE OF MAHOGANY IS NOT SUBJECT TO CITES REGULATION. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 84 x Width 53 x Depth 53 Dimensions in inches: Height 2 foot, 9 inches x Width 1 foot, 9 inches x Depth 1 foot, 9 inches Marquetry is decorative artistry where pieces of material of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers. The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, called opere di commessi, has medieval parallels in Central Italian "Cosmati"-work of inlaid marble floors, altars and columns. The technique is known in English as pietra dura, for the "hardstones" used: onyx, jasper, cornelian, lapis lazuli and colored marbles. In Florence, the Chapel of the Medici at San Lorenzo is completely covered in a colored marble facing using this demanding jig-sawn technique. Techniques of wood marquetry were developed in Antwerp and other Flemish centers of luxury cabinet-making during the early 16th century. The craft was imported full-blown to France after the mid-seventeenth century, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury being made at the royal manufactory of the Gobelins, charged with providing furnishings to decorate Versailles and the other royal residences of Louis XIV. Early masters of French marquetry were the Fleming Pierre Golle and his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, who founded a dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers (ébénistes) and gave his name to a technique of marquetry employing brass with pewter in arabesque or intricately foliate designs. Mahogany is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species. Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress Mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual Mahogany was almost hidden from view. Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect. Although Mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ Mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ Mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments). Cuban Mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850′s, this particular variety became all but extinct. Our reference: A3322

Dimensions:
Height: 33.08 in (84 cm)Width: 20.87 in (53 cm)Depth: 20.87 in (53 cm)
Style:
Late Victorian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1890-1899
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1890
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: A33221stDibs: LU950635287062