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ANTIQUE #SA1152396

Exquisite Queen Anne Mulberry And Walnut Scriptor C. 1700

£11,500    $15,766    €13,322
Petite, demonstrating masterful skill and attention to detail, each element made with extraordinary craftsmanship.
 
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The outer fall with a central mulberry panel bordered by three wide bands, two of burr walnut and one of mulberry outlined with walnut crossbanding. The flanks to the fall also crossbanded in walnut.
 
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The two short over two long principal drawers with figured mulberry fronts and walnut crossbanded borders. The concealed cushion drawer beneath the cornice is dressed with mulberry veneers. Full wainscot oak linings, original and beautifully made. Original top, bottom and back boards and beautiful double ogee mouldings to the flared cornice, waist and base.
 
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The spectaulor and well fitted interior is fresh and vibrant – all ten of the small drawers with fine wainscot oak linings, tiny dovetails and each drawer front dressed with beautifully figured mulberry veneers, crossbanded in walnut, and all with original flower head backplates with brass drop handles.
 
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Mulberry is a rarely seen veneer. It is not taken from a Mulberry bush or tree, it is a thickly cut veneer (usually field maple or sycamore) stained and then washed in an acid which has had copper or other metals and lampblack dissolved in it. This creates beautiful highlights and contrasts in the wood to make it resemble tortoiseshell. The necessity within the British Isles in the late 1600s and early 1700s to create a tortoiseshell appearance was driven by work of the French cabinet maker Andre-Charles Boulle who used polished tortoiseshell inlaid with brass scroll work to create ‘boulle work’. Such pieces selling for huge sums and being highly favoured and collected by the British Royalty and aristocracy.
 
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It is believed that very few British cabinet makers knew how to create this mulberry wood and that the staining process was hotly guarded. Prominent exponents were Coxed and Woster - their mulberry-wood work usually inlaid with pewter stringing and mounts. Few mulberry wood pieces come to the market and it is wonderful to see this beautiful wood on such an early English Scriptor.
 
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The fall lowers flat, firm and level on original brass stays and is inset with an olive green thick leather skiver with gold tooled border.
 
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The inner door with original pierced brass hinges and original steel lock conceals three further small drawers within, each with original handles, walnut veneered over deal and with fine oak linings.
 
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The large lined pigeonhole below the door is ample large enough for a laptop. With wireless technology, pieces like this are regaining their popularity and place in the home as a beautiful and practical working piece of antique furniture.
 
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In very good original condition throughout.Minor dings and marks and small restorations but overall the scriptor is in showroom condition and all of the drawers are fully oak lined and open and close smoothly. This has clearly always been much loved and cared for ove...
Antique #SA1152396, shown on this page, originates from 1700. For historical context, the timeline below highlights the period when it was made:
←1700
Famous inventions historic timeline graphic to help to give historical context to the date of this antique.
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CONTACT DETAILS OF SELLER:
Webberley Antiques
East Sussex
United Kingdom
TELEPHONE SELLER
01424 838557
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