A small lady's tulipwood secretaire a abbatant, circa 1930s, a…
click the photo to enlarge
A small lady's tulipwood secretaire a abbatant, circa 1930s, a breche D'Alep shaped marble top above a fall front opening to an arrangement of six parquetry decorated small drawers and a tan leather writing plane, two cupboards below, full length hipped edges to cabriole feet, quarter veneer panelling throughout and gilt bronze mounts and sabots, height 115 cm, width 64 cm, depth 33 cm

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.

    The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.

    It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
  • Veneers - Veneers are thin sheets of well-figured timber that are glued under pressure to the surface of a cheaper timber for decorative effect, and then used in the making of carcase furniture.

    Early veneers were saw-cut so were relatively thick, (up to 2 mm) but is was realised that saw cutting was wasteful, as timber to the equivilent of the thickness of the saw was lot on each cut.

    A more efficient method was devised to slice the timber, either horizontally with a knife, or in a rotary lathe.

    Flame veneer, commonly found in mahogany or cedar furniture, is cut from the junction of the branches and main trunk. So-called fiddleback veneers, where the grain is crossed by a series of pronounced darker lines, is usually cut from the outer sections of the tree trunk.

    During the 17th and 18th centuries, and in much of the walnut marquetry furniture made during the latter part of the 19th century, the veneer was laid in quarters, each of the same grain, so that one half of the surface was the mirror image of the other.

    The use of veneer allows many other decorative effects to be employed, including stringing, feather banding, cross banding, and inlaid decorative panels in the piece. The carcase over which veneer is laid is usually of cheaper timber such as pine, oak or, sometimes in Australia during the first half of the 19th century, red cedar.

    The important thing to remember about veneers is that prior to about 1850 they were cut by hand, and were consequently quite thick - ranging up to about 2mm deep.

    From the mid-19th century veneers were cut by machines and were almost wafer-thin. This is a critical point when trying to judge the approximate age of veneered furniture.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Parquetry - Parquetry is inlay laid in geometric patterns, the contrast being achieved by the opposing angles of the grain and veneers. The herringbone pattern is the most commonly used in flooring, but this is almost never seen in furniture - the patterns used are more complex and unlike flooring, can include several different varieties of timber.
  • Mounts - Mounts are used to describe bronze, brass and ormolu adornments on furniture especially quality furniture in the rococo and classical revival style, and are also the cabinet makers' name for the metal fittings on furniture, such as hinges, locks and handles, and metal edges and guards which protect furniture from damage.
  • Fall Front - Furniture with a hinged flap, usually associated with desks and secretaires, that opens or 'falls' to provide a flat writing surface. The flap may be supported by chains or brass quadrants and rest on wooden supports or runners, known as lopers, that pull out from a recess in either side of the piece. The interior of a fall-front desk is usually fitted with small drawers and pigeonholes.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A nest of Oriental mahogany tables, 20th century, the frame top tables with glass inserts having pierced grapevine decorated aprons and raised on square section legs with horse hoof feet united by humped box stretchers. Height 56 cm. Length 56 cm. Width 30

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Korean brass bound and polychrome lacquer decorated bureau. Multiple cabinets and drawers and secret compartment

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

An 18th/19th century European cassone, the ornate front with three main panels, the arched central panel with plain keyhole escutcheon, including tapered feathered panels, flanked by tapered leaf columns, the two flanking panels with radiating circular flo

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A walnut secretaire bureau bookcase, 20th century; 212 cm high, 88 cm wide, 44 cm deep

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.