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ID #SA1236289
FOR SALE
£5,500
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Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk
For sale by S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
for sale €6,435     $6,985
£5,500
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd

S and S Timms Antiques Ltd

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2007
Browse dealers 303 items
  • Trade Associations
    S and S Timms Antiques Ltd is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA
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Id #SA1236289
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Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

19th century
Description

A Stunning Quality 19th Century Birdseye Maple And Mahogany Pedestal Desk, Of Attractive Small Proportions, Having Replacement Gilt Tooled Leather Inset To Crossbanded Top, Over Eleven Superbly Figured Drawers, With Replacement Brass Ring Handles And Mahogany Linings, Flanked By Sides With Attractive Strung Panelled Decoration, Raised On Original Plinth Bases With Recessed Castors.

This really is an exceptional quality 19th century pedestal desk, with considerably more attention to detail and refinement than one would normally expect to find. Although we have been unable to identify a particular maker, the exceptional standard of construction, together with the quality and choice of timbers used throughout, would strongly suggest that it was almost certainly produced in one of the leading cabinetmaking workshops of the period.

The birdseye maple is particularly impressive, having been carefully selected for its superb figuring and used extensively across the drawer fronts, plinths and various other elements of the desk. This contrasts extremely well with the darker crossbanding and mouldings, whilst the attractive strung decoration to the sides is another indication that no expense was spared when the desk was originally commissioned.

Internally the quality continues, with the eleven drawers being particularly well constructed and having good quality solid mahogany linings throughout. The brass ring handles are replacements, as is the attractive gilt tooled leather writing surface, both of which sit extremely comfortably with the desk and do nothing to detract from its overall appearance.

One of the particularly appealing features of this desk is its relatively small proportions. Many pedestal desks of the 19th century are extremely large and imposing, whereas this example retains all the presence, storage and practicality of a full pedestal desk without requiring anything like the same amount of space.

The fact that the sides of both pedestals are also attractively finished with strung panelled decoration makes it particularly well suited to being positioned away from a wall. Naturally it would make a superb working desk in a study or home office, but equally it could be used in a large open-plan living space, including behind a settee, where its wonderful colour, figuring and quality can be appreciated from a number of different angles.

As with all items which we offer for sale, this desk has been attended to in our workshops where necessary, before being given a natural wax polish. It is now ready to be placed straight into the home.

Circa 1840.

Height 31.5in.

Width 45in.

Depth 24in.

Kneehole Dimensions 27.25in x 18in.

Physical Dimensions
Height
80cm (31.50")
Width
114cm (44.88")
Depth
61cm (24.02")
Declaration

S and S Timms Antiques Ltd has dated this Birdseye Maple Pedestal Desk to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1236289
Dealers Internal Reference
10074
Dealers Notes

A Careful Selection Of High Quality Town And Country Furniture For The Home From The 17th, 18th, 19th And Early 20th Centuries.

Members Of BADA, LAPADA & CINOA.

UK Delivery Available At Reasonable Rates.

Worldwide Shipping Arranged.

Description
A Stunning Quality 19th Century Birdseye Maple And Mahogany Pedestal Desk, Of Attractive Small Proportions, Having Replacement Gilt Tooled Leather Inset To Crossbanded Top, Over Eleven Superbly Figured Drawers, With Replacement Brass Ring Handles And Mahogany Linings, Flanked By Sides With Attractive Strung Panelled Decoration, Raised On Original Plinth Bases With Recessed Castors.
“
This really is an exceptional quality 19th century pedestal desk, with considerably more attention to detail and refinement than one would normally expect to find.
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd

Although we have been unable to identify a particular maker, the exceptional standard of construction, together with the quality and choice of timbers used throughout, would strongly suggest that it was almost certainly produced in one of the leading cabinetmaking workshops of the period.

fig 1. A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
fig 1. Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

The birdseye maple is particularly impressive, having been carefully selected for its superb figuring and used extensively across the drawer fronts, plinths and various other elements of the desk. This contrasts extremely well with the darker crossbanding and mouldings, whilst the attractive strung decoration to the sides is another indication that no expense was spared when the desk was originally commissioned.

fig 2. A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
fig 2. Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

Internally the quality continues, with the eleven drawers being particularly well constructed and having good quality solid mahogany linings throughout. The brass ring handles are replacements, as is the attractive gilt tooled leather writing surface, both of which sit extremely comfortably with the desk and do nothing to detract from its overall appearance.

fig 3. A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
fig 3. Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

One of the particularly appealing features of this desk is its relatively small proportions. Many pedestal desks of the 19th century are extremely large and imposing, whereas this example retains all the presence, storage and practicality of a full pedestal desk without requiring anything like the same amount of space.

fig 4. A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
fig 4. Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

The fact that the sides of both pedestals are also attractively finished with strung panelled decoration makes it particularly well suited to being positioned away from a wall. Naturally it would make a superb working desk in a study or home office, but equally it could be used in a large open-plan living space, including behind a settee, where its wonderful colour, figuring and quality can be appreciated from a number of different angles.

fig 5. A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
fig 5. Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

As with all items which we offer for sale, this desk has been attended to in our workshops where necessary, before being given a natural wax polish. It is now ready to be placed straight into the home.

Circa 1840.

Height 31.5in.

Width 45in.

Depth 24in.

Kneehole Dimensions 27.25in x 18in.

Height
80cm (31.50")
Width
114cm (44.88")
Depth
61cm (24.02")
Date of Manufacture

S and S Timms Antiques Ltd has dated this Birdseye Maple Pedestal Desk to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1236289
Dealers Internal Ref
10074
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2007
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the S and S Timms Antiques Ltd Profile Page

Trade Associations

S and S Timms Antiques Ltd is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA

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SAVE
A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
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Film
Film of Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk
Archive I A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.

Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk

Film
Archive II A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View II
Archive III A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View III
Archive IV A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View IV
Archive V A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View V
Archive VI A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View VI
Archive VII A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View VII
Archive VIII A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View VIII
Archive IX A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View IX
Archive X A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View X
Archive XI A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View XI
Archive XII A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View XII
Archive XIII A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base. View XIII
Enlarged Archival View
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd

S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
Telephone 01525 719300 or 07801 428701 (24 HRS)
Location
PO BOX 813
Ampthill
Bedfordshire
MK45 9AW
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/ss
Verified Since Sep 2007
Items For Sale 303
Items Sold 9
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
S and S Timms Antiques Ltd
Verified Since Sep 2007
View Dealer Info
Location: PO BOX 813, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 9AW, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/ss
Verified
Sep 2007
For Sale
303
Sold
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A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk
Ref: SA1236289
A mid-19th-century English birdseye maple pedestal desk featuring a green leather writing surface, multiple drawers with brass ring drop handles, and a plinth base.
Film of Exceptional Quality Mid 19th Century English Birdseye Maple Small Pedestal Desk
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Detail View 9
Detail View 10
Detail View 11
Detail View 12
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDesks
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialBirdseye Maple, Leather, Brass
  • ColourAmber Brown
  • MotifsBirdseye maple veneer, Brass ring drop handles, Green leather inset top, Plinth base
  • SizeH 80 cm (31 in) x W 114 cm (45 in) x D 61 cm (24 in)

This Victorian pedestal desk is a nineteenth-century English piece constructed from amber brown birdseye maple, mahogany, leather, and brass. The rectangular top is inset with a green leather writing surface and finished with crossbanding. Eleven drawers are arranged with three across the upper section and four in each pedestal, all fitted with brass ring drop handles and mounted over plinth bases. Darker mouldings contrast with the figured timber on the drawer fronts and plinths, while strung panelled decoration details the sides. It measures 80 cm high, 114 cm wide, and 61 cm deep, offering compact proportions suitable for a smaller room. In a contemporary home, the desk provides a functional workspace in a study or home office. Because the sides are finished with strung panels, it can also be positioned away from a wall in an open-plan living area, such as behind a settee, allowing its amber brown tone and distinctive figuring to be viewed from multiple angles. The piece is finished with a natural wax polish and is ready for domestic placement.

FAQs

Popularised during the 19th century, pedestal desks were designed for library and office environments to provide structured storage and a large writing surface. These pieces often featured two pedestals containing drawers, a central kneehole, and high-grade timber veneers such as birdseye maple or mahogany.

Mid-19th-century pedestal desks typically feature a solid timber carcass faced with decorative veneers such as birdseye maple or walnut. The writing surface is commonly inlaid with gilded leather, and the drawer pulls are cast from brass.

Authentic period examples demonstrate hand-cut dovetail joints inside the drawers, original cast brass hardware, and natural wear patterns near the base and kneehole. The interior carcass wood often displays secondary timber like pine or oak, characteristic of Victorian joinery.

Place the desk centrally in a home study or against a neutral wall to highlight the timber figure. Pair it with modern task lighting and a contemporary leather or upholstered chair to contrast traditional woodwork with clean modern lines.

Dust the wood regularly with a soft, dry cloth and apply natural beeswax twice yearly to protect the finish. Treat the leather writing surface with a specialist leather conditioner to prevent cracking, and position the desk away from direct heat sources and sunlight.
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