British Cabinets

An 18th-century mahogany bureau cabinet of impressive architectural form and lovely rich color. George II period, circa 1740. The top surmounted by a bold architectural pediment and centered by a brass finial. The two arched panel doors reveal three adjustable shelves which have candle slides below them. Furthermore, the bureau section is fitted with a stepped interior. This has two secret compartments, drawers and pigeon holes, and the fall is conventionally supported on two lopers. Lined in the best quality English oak. The blind doors of this Georgian cabinet have well-figured mahogany panels of very good rich color which reflect beautifully in the candle light. The chamfered and arched doors display a further level of sophistication and quality. The beautifully-drawn arched pediment is in perfect proportion with the rest of the cabinet / bookcase. In excellent condition overall. Architectural furniture designs on the continent commenced with the arrival of the Renaissance, and they have their origins in Roman and Greek architecture. Nb. Bureau bookcases display books, china or silver behind glazed doors, but are described more accurately as bureau cabinets when they are fitted with blind doors. We often refer to antique bookcases / cabinets as ''secretary desks'' in the US. Information on pediments: 'Illustrated Dictionary...

A wonderful Georgian mahogany breakfront bookcase of small proportions with astragal glazed doors and broken architectural pediment cornice, 18th century. The upper part with origina...

An English Georgian mahogany secretary in three parts. The base opens to a hinged desk revealing a long shallow drawer above 2 short drawers on each side of...

A superb early 19th century George III mahogany chest of drawers, the shaped and moulded top raised over four long, cockbeaded and graduated drawers with brass escutcheons and decora...

Antique hanging corner cabinet, Georgian, Inlaid, Oak, Scotland 1830, H263 Scotland 1830 Solid oak Original finish Shaped pediment with...

A very handsome and finely proportioned 19th century inlaid mahogany Tantalus in the form of a Georgian side cabinet, showing a richly figured & finely constructed mahogany case with...

George I cabinet with elevation English, in mahogany and partridge's eye 18th Century. Top with two interior doors with drawers, door and bins. Bottom with two drawers and two bi...

An unusually slender George III period mahogany bookcase / cabinet. Paned glass top section over a lower cabinet with a single shel...

Beautifully crafted in the George III style large mahogany wood English breakfront cabinet / bookcase with four doors in the upper part. The...

Rectangular top over a pair of paneled doors enclosing adjustable shelves, raised on turned feet and original casters. Provenance; Norman Adams Ltd. Londo...

A Very Attractive Mid 18th Century, Georgian Mahogany Bureau bookcase Of Very Attractive, Rare, Small Proportions, With Dental Cornice Above Shaped Mirror Door Within Gilded Slip, Ov...

We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare, now discontinued, Thomas Chippendale Library bookcase which is an exact authorised copy of one from Princess’s Diana’s family home, the Althorp Estate, it was part of the Living History collection, made by Theodore Alexander and retailed through Brights of Nettlebed The Althorp estate is widely considered one of, if not the finest English country home left standing. You can see clips of the tours online, the place is an absolute marvel of English history. The estate is owned, and has been by the Spencer family’s for over 500 years, I’ll include the history below. The estate is currently in the stewardship of the Earl of Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother The bookcase itself is very fine, in flamed mahogany with a very regal oxblood velour lining. The handles inside the top section are leopard’s heads, you have two hidden drawers to the top, the right one has the Althorp family crest inside. The piece also has a removable coat of arms, armorial crest to the middle top Condition wise this piece is exquisite, there is very little in terms of wear or use, it has been cherished since new and is a very fine piece indeed Dimensions Height:- 202cm Width:- 81.5cm Depth:- 41cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point Althorp History  Althorp (popularly pronounced /'??l???rp/ AWL-thorp) is a Grade I listed stately home and estate in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire, England of about 13,000 acres (5,300 ha). By road it is about 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of the county town of Northampton and about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of central London, situated between the villages of Great Brington and Harlestone. It has been held by the prominent aristocratic Spencer family for more than 500 years, and has been owned by Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer since 1992. It was also the home of Lady Diana Spencer (later Princess of Wales) from her parents' divorce until her marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales. Althorp is mentioned as a small hamlet in the Domesday Book as "Olletorp", and by 1377 it had become a village with a population of more than fifty people. By 1505 there were no longer any tenants living there, and in 1508, John Spencer purchased Althorp estate with the funds generated from his family's sheep-rearing business. Althorp became one of the prominent stately homes in England. The palace dates to 1688, replacing an earlier house that was once visited by Charles I. The Spencer family amassed an extensive art collection and other valuable household items. During the 18th century, the house became a major cultural hub in England, and parties were regularly held, attracting many prominent members of Great Britain's ruling class. George John, 2nd Earl Spencer, who owned Althorp between 1783 and his death in 1834, developed one of the largest private libraries in Europe at the palace, which grew to over 100,000 books by the 1830s. After falling on hard times, John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer, known as the Red Earl, in 1892 sold much of the collection to Enriqueta Rylands, who was building the University of Manchester Library. Many of Althorp's furnishings were sold off during the twentieth century, and between 1975 and 1992 alone approximately 20% of the contents were auctioned. The house at Althorp was a "classically beautiful" red brick Tudor building, but its appearance was radically altered, starting in 1788, when the architect Henry Holland was commissioned to make extensive changes. Mathematical tiles were added to the exterior, encasing the brick, and four Corinthian pilasters were added to the front. The grand hall entrance to the house, Wootton Hall, was cited by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as "the noblest Georgian room in the county". The Great Dining Room in the east wing extension of the house was added in 1877 to designs by John Macvicar Anderson, its walls hung with faded, red damask silk. Numerous fireplaces and furnishings were brought to Althorp from Spencer House in London during the Blitz for safekeeping and still remain. The Picture Gallery stretches for 115 feet (35 m) on the first floor of the west wing, and is one of the best remaining examples of the original Tudor oak woodwork and ambiance in the mansion. It has an extensive collection of portraits, including Anthony van Dyck's War and Peace, a John de Critz...

An exceptional English Sheraton period satinwood secretaire cabinet. Attributed to Gillows. Late-18th century, George III, ca 1790. Measures: H 59 1/2’’ (151 cm) W 30’’ (76 cm) D 19’’ (49 cm). This small, beautifully-proportioned, and sophisticated antique writing cabinet...

Antique English Georgian style mahogany corner China cabinet display case curio. Item features individual panes of glass, pencil inlay, s...

Tallboy supported by carved shelf feet, in the lower body it has three drawers plus the same number in the upper body, surmounted by two other small side-by-side drawers; the upright...

Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Mahogany with Inlay Secretary Breakfront, Circa 1840. Secretary has a...

We are delighted to offer for sale this very fine Burr Walnut & Brass George II circa 1740 Library Bureau Bookcase with campaign handles A very good looking and well made piece, ...

Exquisite antique english oak 18th century Georgian era chest of drawers~~brass lion pulls with upper shelf and gallery~~pre-1800 A must have~~gorg...

English mahogany one drawer cabinet with flanking hinged doors, lion head brasses, two interior shelves, and resting on the original bulbous ringed feet. Early 19th century.

This is an antique Georgian corner cabinet. An English, oak wall hanging cupboard, dating to the late 18th century, circa 1780. Plea...

A very impressive mahogany bureau cabinet / bookcase / secretary*, with secret compartments. In the manner of Giles Grendey (1693-1780). In mahogany and parcel gilt. Mid-18th century, George II period. This English bureau cabinet displays fine, deep, rich colour and superb surface patination throughout. The top section with a broken-arch pediment and dentil cornice. The frieze well carved with Gothic arcaded blind fretwork. Centred by a later urn-shaped finial. The cabinet with two carved parcel-gilt gesso bordered ogee shaped doors. Old but apparently later mirror plates enclosing a fitted interior with eight drawers and adjustable shelves. The cleated fall, with its original lock, now fitted with a wine red, gilt-tooled writing surface revealing an exceptionally high-quality arrangement of canopied drawers and pigeon holes. The interior is centred by an arched, architectural over door...

This highly important secrétaire-cabinet was crafted for and specially ordered by King George I for the British Ambassador to Russia. From its craftsmanship and materials to its exceptional artistry, it is a work of royal and historic significance that exudes power in each and every detail. The broken pediment at its apex features the simplified royal coat of arms bearing the king’s crown, while the interior is adorned by portraits of the British Royal Family. Placed within the ambassador’s St. Petersburg home, this entirely unique piece of furniture would have been a potent reminder of England's grandeur and political importance. Relations between England and Russia during this period were at an all-time high. Peter the Great had traveled to England in 1698 as part of his widely known “Grand Embassy” tour, wherein he attempted to gain foreign support against the Ottoman Empire. He spent a period of nearly four months there, meeting with King William III and his court on numerous occasions. Noted academic Arthur MacGregor wrote concerning the impact of the trip, “For two decades following Peter's visit, British influence in Russia reached a peak. It manifested itself in social custom, in craft practice and in ships and naval organization... it reached a significant sector of the population before relations cooled once again and the two nations pulled back from this era of unprecedented cordiality.” First and foremost, however, it is a reminder of British might and influence. By the reign of King George I, England had come into its own as a world power. Unique in its design, this cabinet is a reflection of the country’s might. It is crafted from the highest-quality solid walnut and burr walnut adorned by gilded lock plates and engraved hinges. The presence of ormolu at its apex and lining the doors was a rarity for this period, and its addition makes manifest the importance of the design. The outer doors open to reveal multiple interiors, including fifteen separate drawers around a central cupboard; the cupboard doors each bear mezzotint portraits of George I and his father, Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover. An etching after the portrait of George I dating to circa 1716 is in London’s Royal Academy. A second, inner pair of doors are adorned by mezzotints of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later Queen Caroline and George II), which are both after portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller dated 1716 in the Royal Collection. A final portrait is revealed on the very interior of the cabinet, where a mezzotint of Frederick, Anne, Amelia and Caroline, children of the Prince of Wales, resides. An etching (circa 1715-1720) after this portrait can be found in the National Portrait Gallery (London). Apart from its abundance of royal portraiture, the cabinet features stunning painted decoration, including floral designs as well as clouds, birds and trees in a bucolic motif reminiscent of Eden. Its lower portion is a study in both form and function, featuring a fitted secrétaire-drawer above three additional drawers for storage. The cabinet appears in The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture by R. Edwards from 1964, a text that is regarded as the bible of British furniture design. Edwards describes it as a “writing cabinet...given by George I to the British Ambassador at the Russian court.” The cabinet was likely made for the 18th-century German diplomat and writer Friedrich Christian Weber, who represented English interests at the Russian court from 1714 until 1719. Although Weber’s tenure as ambassador was relatively short, while in St. Petersburg, he authored his account entitled Das veraenderte Russland (The Present State of Russia), which was published in three volumes in 1721, 1739 and 1740. It may, however, also have been made for George Douglas, 2nd Earl of Dumbarton, who served as ambassador alongside Weber in 1716. Diplomatic relations ceased between the two countries in 1721. In 1928, the cabinet appeared for sale at the International Exhibition of Antiques & Works of Art in Olympia. It had previously been in the collection of the Woltner family of Bordeaux, the celebrated vintners who owned the estate Château Laville Haut-Brion and produced wine of the same name. According to the family, Monsieur Woltner was given the cabinet as a gift from an aunt who lived in Russia for many years. After leaving the Woltner collection, the cabinet was acquired by William Berry...

rare small secretary in walnut from the 18th century of very good quality with its dome English piece of furniture which stands out by its period, fro...

A fine and unusual Colonial glazed book case, reeded architectural column supports with neoclassical capitals, tapered and turned reeded legs terminat...

We are delighted to offer for sale this absolutely exquisite and important antique George II circa 1740 Mulberry wood drinks cabinets depicting eagles he...

Decorative assembled cabinet features faux bookcase doors with iron grating that pocket in. Doors are flanked by flat fluted pilasters. Unit sits on bracket feet, lower doors have ra...

A very large George IV plum pudding mahogany side cabinet, the shaped top above a moulded frieze with five cupboard doors interspersed between scrolling acanthus columns, the three central doors glazed with pleated fabric linings opening to reveal a double cupboard...

Rectangular top with bowed center with conforming lower drawers and cabinet doors. Plinth base.

We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare circa 1740 Continental panelled oak arched top cupboard A very rare find, all original with period fittings, there are some old r...

We are delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning Astral glazed George IV mahogany library bookcase This piece has an absolutely stunning timber patina, I've never seen ...

A rare chinoiserie standing double corner cabinet, or cupboard. English, George I period, ca 1720. Often erroneously referred to as lacquer work, this is in fact japanned. Beautifully decorated with idyllic scenes of rockwork, pagodas, people, trees, birds, water, with bridges and a boat. This is a lovely and very useful addition to a room - where corners can present furnishing dilemmas - and this is an ideal antique drinks cabinet. These have always been very hard to find, as opposed to the more usual Georgian hanging corner cupboards...

The cabinet with two doors opening to an interior fitted with drawers. Two drawers with reverse painting on glass of a country house and gardens, another drawer with a stump work...

Antique English Georgian green distress painted Queen Anne corner China cabinet Curio. Item features green distressed paint finish, hand painted f...

A fine George III period rosewood veneered concave door cabinet, boxwood and ebony strung & satinwood banded throughout, having galleried upper section with doors enclosing drawers &...

George III display cabinet. Upper section with two glass doors, lower section having two cupboard doors enclosing two lined shelves. Hidden ...

Fabulous quality antique English George III diminutive size, carved and fretted mahogany "Chinese Chippendale" bookcase or display cabinet Please note superbly "blind fretted" and c...

A pair of English George II style cabinets in burled walnut and pine from the 19th century. The pair of nicely carved cabinets have cabriole legs and have of two drawers and doors ...

A fine English George I-period burr (burl) walnut secretaire cabinet. Early-18th century, ca 1720. The top section separates from the base and opens to reveal numerous fitted drawers, behind doors with original bevelled arched mirror plates. The base contains a fall-front fitted secretaire with small drawers, two of which have secret drawers. Engraved mounts are contemporary if not original. All locks and cross-grained mouldings are original. Beautiful colour throughout with superb matched burr veneers within herringbone lines. Bun feet are original. Lined throughout in best quality English oak. The well-patinated green, gilt-tooled liner in the writing surface appears original. Very much in the style of John Old & William Ody. One of the most original early-18th century pieces of English walnut cabinet...

English Chippendale mahogany breakfront with carved molded cornice, four upper case glass doors with arched oval mullions, adjustable interior shelving, lower case concealing a slidi...

18th century English oak dresser base with a two plank top which has a beveled edge, following down to wonderful dentil detail over si...

English George III Style Book/Display Cabinet has the original broken arch cornice that has carved egg and dart molding. The doors have cross ...

This very fine English late 19th-early 20th century (probably Victoria or Edward VII period) Georgian style chest on stand or highboy is made of the most finest burl walnut featuring...

A very attractive and good quality George III period mahogany bureau bookcase having unusual castellated and carved cornice above pair of 13 pane astragal glazed doors, superbly figured flap and four long drawers with replacement brass oval plate handles raised on original shaped bracket feet (A fine example of a functional and elegant Georgian bureau bookcase...

Finely constructed with choice veneers with crossbanded top with brass 3/4 gallery over a pair of paneled doors with a pair of opposing doors with pleated fabric, each corner with re...

George III mahogany bedside cabinet with brass accents.

George III satinwood and marquetry cabinet. Satinwood was used as the background for the delicate inlaid marquetry designs. Satinwood, from India, gains its distinctive soft and subt...

A very useful pair of late 18th century bedside cabinets Crafted from the finest South American mahogany With curved opposing doors and raised on tapering fluted legs in the manner...

A superb quality George III period mahogany library Bookcase of breakfront form, boasting charming small Proportions, and four astragal glazed doors to top Enclosing adjustable shelves over panelled cupboard Doors enclosing further adjustable shelves raised on Original plinth base (Breakfront bookcases are one of the grandest, yet at the same time most functional pieces of antique furniture...

A fine pair of George III figured mahogany side cabinets, in the manner of Thomas Sheraton, each demilune top with a strung edge above a central frieze...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning George III Thomas Chippendale style mahogany bookcase on serpentine chest of drawers A glorious find, truly stunning, after original Thomas...

19th century English knee hole desk made from oak with a beveled edge around the top following down to a single drawer over two banks of three d...

Fine pair of George IV collector’s cabinets in the Grecian manner popularized by Thomas Hope and George Smith having Santa Anna marble tops over frieze mold...

A matched pair of George III mahogany night cabinets. The rectangular tray top, above a single cupboard door, resting on square legs, retaining original color and patina. Slight var...

This is a beautifully executed example of a traditional oak Carmarthen cupboard. Two wide, double panel doors dominate the top section while two large drawers in the base flank a pai...

19th century English pine cabinet with pair of large glass doors. Black painted interior and dark trim through front of front face. Simple cove moulding on top edge and feet. The she...

Elegant and versatile piece of furniture made in circa 1810. In England out of Gonzalo Alvas wood. This charming chiffonière is attributed to George Oakley (1773-1840). Lit. Diction...

This charming writing and reading cabinet is made out of mahogany and oak. The top is covered by a warm yellow marble board fixated by an undulated mahogany frame. Two sliding doors ...

19th century George III style mahogany, satinwood and marquetry bookcase on stand, having a broken arch pediment with fan inlays above the frieze inl...