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Large Solid Mahogany Victorian Gillows Serpentine Partners Desk, circa 1870

Name: Large Solid Mahogany Victorian Gillows Serpentine Partners Desk, circa 1870
Brand: Gillows of Lancaster & London
Price: 159221.95 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

This superb shaped pedestal partners desk was made in the Victorian period of about 1870. It was made in the famous Gillows Cumbrian Workshop and the drawers and some of the locks are stamped Gillows or Gillows Lancaster. The solid serpentine shaped drawers are all intricately carved and the desk has foliage and lions head detail to all sides. All these elements make this desk my favourite desk and I have not seen anything similar to match it in over 45 years of working in the Antiques Trade. The desk was made by Gillows' master craftsmen around 1870 when Gillows were considered to be at the height of their excellence and before their later merger with Waring. In a modern context the desk is more a "Work of Art '' than simply a piece of furniture and yet it is still very practical and usable as a desk. Gillows desks were made for many important buyers including for Royalty and State buildings around the world. No expense was spared on the quality of materials or the time used or in the detail and quality of workmanship. The mahogany was imported from the Americas on Gillows' own boat called "Bridget" and was transported from Liverpool to the factory by rail on their own branch line. All the carvings on the desk are in raised relief and form part of the desk itself i.e. they are not stuck onto the desk surfaces but are carved into solid pieces of mahogany. The desk is of serpentine form on all sides. The curves are created from solid pieces of mahogany that have been hand worked into the curved shape by Gillows' master cabinet makers. A labour intensive process that is likely to be never repeated, making this desk a unique example at the height of Victorian craftsmanship. The desk has many fine details which at the time were ground breaking and innovative. All parts of the desk are made from mahogany, including the underside of the top, inside the cabinets, and all the drawer linings. After 150 years since its construction. it still all works perfectly today.

Creator:

Gillows of Lancaster & London (Cabinetmaker)

Dimensions:

Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 68 in (172.72 cm)Depth: 42 in (106.68 cm)

Style:

Victorian (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Mahogany,Hand-Carved

Place of Origin:

England

Period:

19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1870

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. For it's age and rarity the condition is fantastic. The minor blemishes from use only add to the character of this fine authentic victorian desk. All drawers run smoothy and cupboards open and close with no resistance.

Seller Location:

Dorking, GB

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU8802234689912

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Shop All Gillows of Lancaster & London

Gillows of Lancaster & London

It would be difficult to find an antique furniture enthusiast or collector unfamiliar with the name Gillows of Lancaster and London. The British furniture company — which has earned references in the writings of Jane Austen and elsewhere in literature — is renowned for its exceptional quality craftsmanship, and attracted designers such as Thomas Chippendale, Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite in its heyday.

The firm was founded circa 1730 by Robert Gillow (1704–72), who worked as a joiner, housebuilder and overseas merchant before making furniture for homes and export. Gillow established his business in his home city of Lancaster. However, the company later expanded into London in the 1750s after Robert entered into a partnership with his son, Richard, who apprenticed with a London architect and learned the merchant trade in Barbados. Richard had entrepreneurial aptitude — he managed apprenticeships at the firm, ensured that quality materials were a priority, navigated economic hardships, and designed furniture, too. He created seating based on sketches drawn by his cousin, James Gillow, in London.

London’s wealthy upper class took notice of the Gillows’ high-quality furniture, which came to include bedroom furniture, cabinets, a range of seating and other pieces made of rosewood or rich mahogany imported from the West Indies and Jamaica. By the end of the 18th century, the manufacturer was one of the leading furniture makers in Britain. Gillows designed its own furnishings and worked with significant designers; they had in-house upholsterers and cabinetmakers and employed decorative techniques such as “japanning” in their designs.

Gillows of Lancaster and London became Gillow & Co. in 1813 after selling to Redmayne, Whiteside and Ferguson. The company continued to thrive throughout the Georgian era and into the Victorian period, a time that yielded well-known collaborations with Scottish architect and designer Bruce Talbert on a regular basis. High-brow clients of the manufacturer clamored for their inventive and functional designs for tables and writing desks, many of which incorporated whimsical elements such as secret and pop-up drawers. There was also demand for earlier Gillow designs such as Baroque and Gothic Revival pieces as well as adaptations of Chippendale works.

Despite their success, Gillow & Co. entered into financial hardship during the late 1800s with the advent of mass-produced furniture. By 1903, they merged with Waring of Liverpool to become Waring and Gillows and, in 1980, were taken over by Maple & Co. to become Maple, Waring and Gillow. Today, many Gillows of Lancaster and London pieces are in museums throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

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