Antique desks from the later part of the 19th Century, like many items of furniture from that period, are invariably well made from good quality materials. However, because they were often the product of highly mechanised workshops, their design can lack the singular appeal of an earlier desk, such as this fine mahogany late William IV - early Victorian example (1835 - 1845). It has the hallmarks of being a one-off commission and a collaboration between the client and maker. Its appearance is simple but attractive, not burdened with Victorian excess, but from a period known for its refined and understated design. The cabinet maker has achieved the difficult balance of retaining a desk''s visual appeal and usability. Its finely dovetailed and lockable drawers are steeply graduated in size - six are opened with a well-defined gadrooned knob (fashionable during this period). The top three drawers would be visually overpowered if they too bore a wooden handle, so they have always been open...