What is a bonheur du jour?

It's a small writing table for a lady, with a raised superstructure of small drawers or shelves standing on the back of the writing surface. Bonheur and jour each appear in around a sixth of the titles in this category. On Sellingantiques they come in rosewood, kingwood, walnut and satinwood, often with ormolu mounts. Two matched pairs have been offered together.

Which country made most marquetry bureaux?

Dutch is the strongest named origin, carried by around a sixth of titles, and Dutch floral marquetry bureau bookcases account for most of the highest-priced sampled pieces. French taste dominates the smaller writing pieces. English inlaid and Sheraton Revival bureaux form another group. Italian, Spanish and South German examples turn up once in a blue moon.

How old are these bureaux?

Dealer-supplied dates span 1700 to 1930. Fewer than half the listings carry a clean year; the rest are labelled by century or reign, with "19th Century", "18th Century" and "Victorian" the commonest. Where decades are given they gather in the 1860s to 1900s. The earliest labels reach the 17th century, and the latest sit at 1920s and 1930.

Nine or more timber names appear in titles. Walnut, rosewood and mahogany are the everyday ones, with burr walnut common on the larger Dutch cases. Beyond those come kingwood, satinwood, amboyna, tulipwood, fruitwood and a single Gonçalo Alves. Kingwood is the dark striped Brazilian timber used as a ground for French marquetry.

Are marquetry bureaux usually signed or attributed?

No maker or retailer recurs often enough across this evidence to define the category. These are sold on form, origin and timber rather than on a name. Around 31 come to market in a year on Sellingantiques, and 82 different dealers have listed one.

Do cylinder desks count as marquetry bureaux?

Yes. Cylinder describes a curved roll-over top that slides back to reveal the writing surface, and it appears in a twentieth of titles. Most sit with the English inlaid and Sheraton Revival group, alongside bureau bookcases and writing desks in mahogany and satinwood.

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Antique Marquetry Bureau

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Writing furniture decorated with inlaid veneer, from small French ladies' desks to tall Dutch floral marquetry bureau bookcases, made to hold letters and paper and to be looked at.