Roll top bureau, Dutch, 1760-1780

A small roll-top desk with a single large drawer in the frieze section, veneered in kingwood on a carcase of oak, with marquetry of other woods and with handles in lacquered brass.The desk is raised on shallow cabriole legs, the outer corners set with a rounded fillet of stained woods, between the edges of panels of cross-banded kingwood veneer. The stand is set with a single drawer, the carcase of oak, dovetailed, and the sides cut with a rebate which engages with runners attached to the inside of the carcase. Immediately above this is a writing slide, which pulls out and rests on the top of the drawers when in use. The middle of the front of the slide is cut with a recess, through which the bolt of the lock on the inside of the drawer, engages with the underside of the top of the frame section. The interior of the desk, behind the solid roll-top, which is quarter round in section, is set with a framework at the back, containing six small drawers and three open pigeonholes. The fronts of the drawers are veneered with marquetry panels of flowers.The exterior of the desk is set on every panel with marquetry of flowers in baskets, those on the side panels standing on one edge of architectural plinths. The top surface of the writing slide is veneered with kingwood, with inset 'cleats' of veneer at either end, set with mitred joints, so that the veneer on the front edge is continuous. The centre of the slide shows a marquetry design of 6 flowers, their stems overlapping and with a single flower head at the point of intersection of the stems.
The main drawer is set with two lacquered brass handles, with pierced backplates, in neo-classical style, possibly added later. Two small brass knobs serve to pull out the writing slide.

Bequeathed by J. R. Abbott

Said by the donor to have been bought by his father, ca. 1850

The marquetry decoration may have been added, wholly, or in part, in the second half of the nineteenth century

In the second half of nineteenth century there was a great fashion for Dutch furniture amongst English collectors. Complex marquetry of flowers was particularly admired and, in response to a growing market, a great many pieces were embellished with new floral marquetry in eighteenth-century style. This little desk probably started life as a much plainer piece of furniture.

On loan to Cliffe Castle Museum.

W.18:1-1939