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ID #SA1179599
FOR SALE
£1,900
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A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk
Tinker & Toad
for sale €2,223     $2,413
£1,900

Tinker & Toad

Sellingantiques Verified Since Aug 2020
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A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

19th century
For Sale by Tinker & Toad
Description

A Beautiful and Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk, Circa 1870

A fine and scarce example of a Gillow & Co. breakfront library desk, crafted in richly figured mahogany and topped with a gilt-tooled green leather writing surface. All nine drawers feature handsome reeded fronts and Aesthetic-Movement Gothic–inspired brass handles.

The central breakfront section, fitted with a single drawer, is supported by fluted and reeded column supports embellished with acanthus-leaf and petal carving. This centre section is flanked by two banks of four graduated drawers, offering generous and well-organised storage.

The end and internal panels are designed in simple fielded form with elegant floral corner details. The whole piece stands on a stepped plinth base set on inset castors for ease of movement.

A rare survivor, this model is believed to originate from designs first produced in the 1850s. Its Gillow & Co. stamp—rather than the earlier straight Gillow mark—indicates a later 19th-century production, circa 1870. Seating area opening measure 61cm high x 52cm wide.

Gillow & Co (Gillows of Lancaster and London)

Founded in Lancaster around 1730 by Robert Gillow, Gillows grew into one of England’s most respected furniture makers, known for exceptional craftsmanship and early, extensive use of mahogany, which Robert imported directly from the West Indies. By the 1740s the firm was exporting finished mahogany pieces overseas, and in 1757 Robert partnered with his son Richard as Robert Gillow & Son.

The Gillow family controlled the firm until 1814, when it was taken over by Redmayne, Whiteside, and Ferguson, who retained the Gillow name. Gillows’ reputation was so strong that other designers commissioned them to build their pieces, and the company was referenced by writers such as Jane Austen, Thackeray, and Lord Lytton, as well as in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.

In 1903, Gillows merged with Warings of Liverpool to form Waring & Gillow.

Physical Dimensions
Height
73cm (28.74")
Width
122cm (48.03")
Depth
56cm (22.05")
Declaration

Tinker & Toad has dated this Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1179599
Description
A Beautiful and Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk, Circa 1870

A fine and scarce example of a Gillow & Co.

“
breakfront library desk, crafted in richly figured mahogany and topped with a gilt-tooled green leather writing surface.
Tinker & Toad

All nine drawers feature handsome reeded fronts and Aesthetic-Movement Gothic–inspired brass handles.

fig 1. A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
fig 1. A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

The central breakfront section, fitted with a single drawer, is supported by fluted and reeded column supports embellished with acanthus-leaf and petal carving. This centre section is flanked by two banks of four graduated drawers, offering generous and well-organised storage.

fig 2. A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
fig 2. A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

The end and internal panels are designed in simple fielded form with elegant floral corner details. The whole piece stands on a stepped plinth base set on inset castors for ease of movement.

A rare survivor, this model is believed to originate from designs first produced in the 1850s. Its Gillow & Co. stamp—rather than the earlier straight Gillow mark—indicates a later 19th-century production, circa 1870. Seating area opening measure 61cm high x 52cm wide.

fig 3. A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
fig 3. A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

Gillow & Co (Gillows of Lancaster and London)

Founded in Lancaster around 1730 by Robert Gillow, Gillows grew into one of England’s most respected furniture makers, known for exceptional craftsmanship and early, extensive use of mahogany, which Robert imported directly from the West Indies. By the 1740s the firm was exporting finished mahogany pieces overseas, and in 1757 Robert partnered with his son Richard as Robert Gillow & Son.

fig 4. A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
fig 4. A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

The Gillow family controlled the firm until 1814, when it was taken over by Redmayne, Whiteside, and Ferguson, who retained the Gillow name. Gillows’ reputation was so strong that other designers commissioned them to build their pieces, and the company was referenced by writers such as Jane Austen, Thackeray, and Lord Lytton, as well as in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.

In 1903, Gillows merged with Warings of Liverpool to form Waring & Gillow.

Height
73cm (28.74")
Width
122cm (48.03")
Depth
56cm (22.05")
Date of Manufacture

Tinker & Toad has dated this Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1179599
Tinker & Toad
Sellingantiques verified Since Aug 2020
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Tinker & Toad Profile Page

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A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
1 / 10
Archive I A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.

A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk

Archive II A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View II
Archive III A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View III
Archive IV A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View IV
Archive V A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View V
Archive VI A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View VI
Archive VII A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View VII
Archive VIII A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View VIII
Archive IX A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View IX
Archive X A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles. View X
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Tinker & Toad
Telephone 07771 682942
Location
54 The Mint
Rye
East Sussex
TN31 7EN
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/tinkerandtoad
Verified Since Aug 2020
Items For Sale 82
Items Sold 543
Tinker & Toad
Verified Since Aug 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: 54 The Mint, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7EN, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/tinkerandtoad
Verified
Aug 2020
For Sale
82
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A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
A Rare Gillow & Co. Mahogany Breakfront Library Desk
Ref: SA1179599
A Victorian mahogany breakfront pedestal desk featuring a green leather inset writing surface with gold tooling and multiple drawers with brass handles.
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FAQs

A breakfront pedestal desk is a large writing table featuring a central section that steps forward from the flanking pedestals. Originating in the 18th century and widely produced through the Victorian era, these desks offer substantial storage and a wide writing surface, making them central features in formal library settings.

High-grade dense timber such as Cuban or West Indian mahogany was the standard construction material for premium 19th-century desks. Writing surfaces were typically inlaid with gold-tooled animal hide leather, complemented by solid brass drawer handles and castors.

Authentic Gillow pieces frequently feature a stamped mark on the top edge of a drawer, such as GILLOW & CO or GILLOWS LANCASTER. Other hallmarks include superior drawer construction with fine dovetail joints, high-grade mahogany linings, and original brass fittings stamped with maker marks.

A substantial mahogany desk serves as a anchor piece in a contemporary study or open-plan office. Pairing dark wood with minimalist neutral walls, contemporary lighting, and modern upholstery creates a balanced contrast between historical craft and modern design.

Maintain the mahogany structure by dusting with a soft cloth and applying a natural beeswax polish twice a year along the grain. The leather insert should be conditioned regularly with specialist leather cream to prevent drying out and preserve the gilt tooling.
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