Walnut Bureau Bookcases
BUREAU BOOKCASES — walnut
A walnut bureau bookcase of finely figured walnut, with double-D mouldings and a dividing moulding around the bureau section — relic of earlier divisions (see Bureau). There is a bookrest moulding on the fall. The top has candle slides below the shaped mirrored doors, which are edged with cross-grained mouldings. 1700-1720
A burr elm bureau bookcase with attractive deeply cut mouldings to the top of the bookcase and round the sides (’returns’). The doors have bevelled Vauxhall glass doors and fine mouldings missing only a pair of engraved stars to make it the classic example. It has, of course, candle slides and beautifully matched veneers.
The classic profile of the good quality bureau bookcase of the period with great deep top mouldings and ‘returns’ to balance them. Finely shaped and bevelled glass. But the bottom has cock-beading and flat veneering instead of double-D moulding, and brackets instead of buns. This is almost certainly a marriage. For further evidence look at the difference between the wood on the side of the bureau and the bookcase. Finally, the inside fittings of the top have double-D mouldings. Priced accordingly. The top price if you
have a William and Mary bureau missing a top or vice versa.
A single-width (2ft. 3ins.) burr walnut example with cock-beaded drawers. The price drops principally because of the plain moulding. 1720-1740
A good walnut bureau bookcase with herringbone banding to the drawers. When looking at any bureau bookcase one has to decide whether the two parts started out life together. However, when the quality of the piece is such that the top half if well fitted with drawers and doors that clearly match those in the bottom half, both in veneers and patination as in this piece, the originality is obvious. Notice the insides of the doors are well veneered. Apart from the plain moulding it lacks only a door and curved drawers to
the inside to put it right at the top.
A good solid walnut bureau bookcase with fielded panel doors, good mouldings and unusual drawer arrangement, shown open and closed. Single heavily moulded pediment and fine interior fittings. The price is lower because it is in the solid rather than veneered and it has no glass, but in fact it is a better quality piece than many veneered ones, i.e. the top mouldings and good interior fittings especially in the bureau. 1730-1745
Tags: bevelled glass, Bookcase, BOOKCASES, buns, bureau, burr walnut, drawers, glass doors, marriage, moulding, quality bureau, Vauxhall, walnut, William, william and mary