Antique Queen Anne Walnut Secretaire Chest / Escritoire, 18th Century

The interior housing three pairs of pigeon holes concealing secret compartments above a central cupboard flanked by three side drawers on each side with six further drawers below, all clad in burr figured veneers edged with feather banding and fitted with brass pendant handles. The rear of the central cupboard is a concealed panel that sildes away to reveal four further secret drawers.

The base of the chest comprises two half-width drawers above two full width drawers, all fitted with pendant shaped brass drop handles, The cabinet is raised on bracket feet.

The walnut secretaire is outlined throughout with decorative herringbone stringing.

Complete with working locks and original keys.

Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:
Height 176 x Width 102 x Depth 59

Dimensions in inches:
Height 5 foot, 9 inches x Width 3 foot, 4 inches x Depth 1 foot, 11 inches

Anne was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 8 March 1702 until 1 May 1707. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, the kingdoms of England and Scotland united as a single sovereign state known as Great Britain. Anne continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death in 1714.

The Queen Anne style of decorative arts began to evolve during the rule of King William III of England, reached its primacy during the reign of Queen Anne, and persisted after George I ascended the throne. The period has also been called “the age of walnut” because that wood was used almost exclusively in English furniture of the time, replacing oak.

The single most distinctive feature of Queen Anne furniture is the use of the cabriole leg, which is shaped in the form of a double curve—the upper part being convex and the lower part concave—and ends either in a claw-and-ball or paw foot. The Queen Anne chair is identifiable as well for the splat back, which is curved in order to fit the hollow of the spine.

The custom of social tea drinking that developed in the Queen Anne period produced a need for small movable chairs and tables, as well as for china cabinets. Bookcases and secretaries were also designed in the Queen Anne style. Marquetry, inlay, veneering, and lacquer work were all skilfully applied to the decorative furniture of Queen Anne design. Typical motifs in this ornamentation are scrolls, Oriental figures, animals, and plants. The Queen Anne style of furniture design became extremely popular among the upper classes in Britain’s North American colonies.

Our reference: A2856.