A beautiful antique William IV Gonçalo Alves, writing table, circa 1830 in date.
The rectangular top features an inset gilt tooled green leather writing surface above a pair of frieze drawers. The desk is raised on a pair of turned and carved end supports with lion''s paw feet and recessed brass castors.
Add an elegant touch to your home with this stunning combination piece of antique English furniture.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned polished and releathered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 74 cm x Width 143 cm x Depth 74 cm
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 foot, 5 inches x Width 4 foot, 8 inches x Depth 2 foot, 5 inches
Gonçalo Alves is a hardwood (from the Portuguese name, Gonçalo Alves). It is sometimes referred to as tigerwood a name that underscore the woods often dramatic, contrasting color scheme.
While the sapwood is very light in color, the heartwood is a sombre br
...own, with dark streaks that give it a unique look. The woods color deepens with exposure and age and even the plainer-looking wood has a natural luster.
Two species are usually listed as sources for gonçalo alves: Astronium fraxinifolium and Astronium graveolens, although other species in the genus may yield similar wood; the amount of striping that is present may vary.
In the high tropical forests of Central and South America, well-drained soils furnish nutrients for a variety of dense, durable hardwoods sought for maritime use, heavy construction, and furniture. The Spanish began harvesting in Latin American forests in the early 1500s to provide timber for boat building and repair. By the early 1900s, however, steel ships had replaced wooden ones, and the interest in tropical forests by both Europeans and Americans shifted to appearance-grade woods for furniture.
Although history fails to provide us with a shopping list of species from either harvest period, it''s probable that the wood we know today as goncalo alves has always been sought. That''s because goncalo alves, considered one of the most beautiful of tropical woods, has a tough reputation, too. Strong and durable, it''s used for construction in its homeland and secondarily for fine furniture. Woodworkers elsewhere treasure the wood for decorative items and veneer accents.
William IV - the brief reign of William IV (1830 1837) marked a period of transition between the Regency period (which had been an age of innovation based on revivalist styles such as ancient Egypt, and the Grecian designs) and the Victorian era.
William IV furniture is similar in style to Regency furniture with many of the designs from the Regency period being copied but often executed in a much heavier manner with chairs, tables and other items being coarser and clumsier in appearance when compared with those made during the Regency period.
Popular pieces produced during this period include tilt top dining tables and pillared extendable tables. Sofa tables and drum tables were also favoured at the time as were sideboards and card tables. Heavy brass fittings were a prominent feature such as lions paw feet on tables. Chairs frequently sported sabre legs to the back with stumpy bulbous turned legs to the front. The rope twist carved back was also much in favour.
This period also saw the introduction of the more exotic timbers such as zebra wood. With the Industrial Revolution getting under way furniture making saw the increased use of mechanisation a trend set to accelerate during the Victorian period.
This short, but important transitional period eventually gave way to the romanticism of the Victorians but the furniture it produced was usually of good quality and it remains sought after and desirable today.
Our reference: A5112
Internal Reference: A5112
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1198214
Dateline of this antique is 1800
Height is 74cm (29.1inches)Width is 143cm (56.3inches)Depth is 74cm (29.1inches)
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