18th Century Dutch Burr Walnut Floral Marquetry Bureau

About the Item

This is a wonderful antique late 18th century Dutch burr walnut and marquetry bombe' bureau. It has been accomplished in burr walnut, with exquisite hand cut floral marquetry typical of the very best pieces of period Dutch furniture. The serpentine fall opens to reveal a fabulous interior with a myriad of small drawers and several secret compartments, there is a small central mirror doored cupboard which is flanked by a pair of columns with secret compartments that slide out. There is a secret well that is accessed from the secretaire interior and there are three capacious full width drawers. The brass handles and escutcheons are original and in excellent condition and it is complete with the original working locks and keys. The front of the bureau is a wonderful double serpentine shape, it stands on it's original lion's paw feet and the drawer linings and back are of solid oak. It is circa 1780 in date, is in truly remarkable condition for its age and this exceptional piece represents a fantastic example of 18th century Dutch cabinetry at its very finest. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 111 x Width 141 x Depth 65 Dimensions in inches: Height 3 feet, 8 inches x Width 4 feet, 7 inches x Depth 2 feet, 2 inches Burr Walnut refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find. Marquetry is decorative artistry where pieces of material (such as wood, pewter or brass silver) 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.

Dimensions:

Height: 43.71 in (111 cm)Width: 55.52 in (141 cm)Depth: 25.6 in (65 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Walnut,Marquetry

Place of Origin:

Netherlands

Period:

1780-1789

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1780

Condition:

Seller Location: