Late Regency Bird’s-Eye Maple Cylindrical Open Bookcase Attributed to Gillows

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...

A fine early William IV mahogany breakfront bookcase firmly attributed Gillows of Lancaster, in four sections, the top with astragal glazed doors enclosing four adjustable shelves between reeded pilasters with anthemion scroll corbels, the base with four panelled arched doors between acanthus scroll and reeded pilasters, the frieze with two short drawers and a central secretaire drawer fitted with a reading slope and two slides above small compartments, decorated throughout with rich book-matched veneers. The secretaire drawer stamped ‘Preston’. English, circa 1835. Footnote: Many closely related acanthus carved terminals, anthemion corbels and other typical Gillows features can be seen on the pair of bookcases, on this website, made by Gillows & Co for the library at Dallam Tower, Cumbria in 1829, and on a bookcase shown in Susan E. Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840, Antique Collectors’ Club, 2008, vol. I, p.379, pl.450. A similar large breakfront bookcase...

A late Regency Gonçalo Alves two-door side cabinet firmly attributed to Gillows, of rectangular form with two glazed doors retaining the original brass trelliswork centred on rosette...

A Victorian satinwood breakfront side cabinet with Wedgwood plaques attributed to Dyer and Watts, the shaped top above a central door flanked by two gla...

A fine English 19th Century Regency st. bow front Birds Eye maple wood two door cabinet, circa 1810. The cabinet is raised by topie shaped feet below the bow front with two doors. Ea...

This is an antique gentleman's folio cabinet. An English, bird's-eye maple and burr walnut decorative cupboard, dating to the Regency period, circa 1820. Exceptional craftsmanship...

This is an antique pier cabinet. An English, walnut and boxwood glazed bookcase or display cupboard, dating to the Regency period, circa 1820. ...

A fine 19th century French Louis-Philippe period maple & mahogany bureau bookcase. Shaped moulded sides and cornice above a pair of shaped glazed doors with adjustable shelves, above...