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ID #SA1242325
FOR SALE
£3,900
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Rare Early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau
For sale by Holmes Antiques
for sale €4,563     $4,953
£3,900

Holmes Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2011
Browse dealers 224 items
  • About Us
    Leading experts on early english oak, walnut and mahogany furniture. Established in 1932.
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Id #SA1242325
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Rare Early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau

18th century
For Sale by Holmes Antiques
Description

A George I Irish Bureau with an extraordinary interior, featuring a finely cut marquetry soldier to the central door, flanked by marquetry pilasters. The beautifully shaped stepped interior features twelve drawers in total.

We were delighted to find this piece with such a fascinating interior, something we have not seen before on a bureau, nor had we seen a fall front with fielded panel veneered in matched Walnut and with double feather banding decoration.

The piece has never been stripped and has good natural colour and patina that has built up over the years; there are historic repairs to the veneer work; feet and handles are replaced.

A somewhat later Bureau with very similar marquetry soldier, again fitted to the interior door, is documented in the wonderful book: Irish Furniture by the Knight of Glin and James Peill. See the last image.

Very similar marquetry pilasters can also be seen on Lady Louisa Conolly's monumental Bureau Cabinet at Castletown co Kildare, which is documented in the same book.

Physical Dimensions
Height
110cm (43.31")
Width
98cm (38.58")
Depth
56cm (22.05")
Declaration

Holmes Antiques has dated this Antique Irish Walnut Bureau to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1242325
Dealers Notes

Holmes Antiques was established in 1932

We are a family business with a shop on Haworth Main Street in West Yorkshire.

We specialise in early English furniture

With the emphasis on quality, originality, colour and surface.

David Holmes has developed a reputation in the antique trade as one of the country's leading experts on early English Oak, Walnut and Mahogany furniture.

Christian Holmes is the 4th generation of the family to deal in Antique furniture

www.holmesantiques.co.uk

Description
A George I Irish Bureau with an extraordinary interior, featuring a finely cut marquetry soldier to the central door, flanked by marquetry pilasters. The beautifully shaped stepped interior features twelve drawers in total.
fig 1. An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.
fig 1. Rare Early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau

We were delighted to find this piece with such a fascinating interior, something we have not seen before on a bureau, nor had we seen a fall front with fielded panel veneered in matched Walnut and with double feather banding decoration.

“
The piece has never been stripped and has good natural colour and patina that has built up over the years; there are historic repairs to the veneer work; feet and handles are replaced.
Holmes Antiques
fig 2. An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.
fig 2. Rare Early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau

A somewhat later Bureau with very similar marquetry soldier, again fitted to the interior door, is documented in the wonderful book: Irish Furniture by the Knight of Glin and James Peill. See the last image.

Very similar marquetry pilasters can also be seen on Lady Louisa Conolly's monumental Bureau Cabinet at Castletown co Kildare, which is documented in the same book.

Height
110cm (43.31")
Width
98cm (38.58")
Depth
56cm (22.05")
Date of Manufacture

Holmes Antiques has dated this Antique Irish Walnut Bureau to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1242325
Holmes Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2011

Leading experts on early english oak, walnut and mahogany furniture. Established in 1932.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Holmes Antiques Profile Page

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An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.
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Archive I An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.

Rare Early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau

Archive II An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View II
Archive III An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View III
Archive IV An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View IV
Archive V An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View V
Archive VI An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View VI
Archive VII An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View VII
Archive VIII An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View VIII
Archive IX An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View IX
Archive X An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View X
Archive XI An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XI
Archive XII An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XII
Archive XIII An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XIII
Archive XIV An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XIV
Archive XV An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XV
Archive XVI An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XVI
Archive XVII An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet. View XVII
Enlarged Archival View

Holmes Antiques
Telephone 07729 347 159
Location
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/holmes
Verified Since Jan 2011
Items For Sale 224
Items Sold 554
Holmes Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2011
View Dealer Info
Location: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/holmes
Verified
Jan 2011
For Sale
224
Sold
554
An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.
Rare early 18th Century Irish Walnut Bureau
Ref: SA1242325
An early 18th-century Irish walnut slant-front bureau featuring engraved brass drop handles, keyhole escutcheons, and bracket feet.
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDesks & Bureaux
  • Period18th century
  • StyleEarly Georgian
  • MaterialWalnut, Brass, Oak
  • ColourWarm Brown
  • MotifsSlant front, Brass drop handles, Bracket feet, Crossbanded lid
  • SizeH 110 cm (43 in) x W 98 cm (39 in) x D 56 cm (22 in)

FAQs

An 18th-century walnut bureau is a writing desk featuring a sloping fall-front lid that opens to reveal a fitted writing interior, positioned above a chest of drawers. Popular during the Queen Anne and early Georgian eras, these pieces combined daily writing space with substantial household storage.

Early Georgian bureaux were primarily constructed using walnut veneers laid over solid oak or pine carcasses, often decorated with featherbanding or crossbanding around drawer borders. Hardware typically consisted of cast brass drop handles, backplates, and keyhole escutcheons.

Authentic period bureaux feature hand-cut dovetail drawer joints, hand-planed drawer linings with timber grain running front-to-back, and natural shrinkage line variations in the veneer. Original brass fittings often show asymmetric hand-casting marks and filework on the reverse side.

A walnut bureau functions well as a decorative focal point in a hallway, study, or living area, serving as a functional workspace and compact storage unit. Position contemporary artwork above the piece or add modern lighting to create a balanced contrast between period craftsmanship and modern design.

Keep walnut furniture positioned away from direct sunlight and radiators to avoid moisture loss, veneer lifting, and timber fading. Dust regularly with a clean microfiber cloth and apply a natural beeswax polish periodically to preserve the timber patina.
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