Gillows Bookcase
A gillows bookcase brings together centuries of fine cabinet-making in mahogany, satinwood, and rosewood.
Gillows Bookcase
A gillows bookcase represents sophisticated storage, spanning grand breakfront library pieces and compact secretaire cabinets.
The pieces on this page draw from Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian periods, reflecting the long heritage of the firm.
Buyers regularly encounter secretaire bookcases featuring fitted writing drawers alongside open shelving and glazed display cabinets.
How they were made
Cabinet-makers relied on figured mahogany, satinwood, rosewood, and burr walnut, often pairing timber veneers with solid oak carcases.
Glazing takes the form of astragal bars, whilst brass handles, grilles, and marble tops finish the structural joinery.
Gillows Bookcase Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for gillows bookcase among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Some secretaire drawers hide tiny velvet-lined compartments meant for stamps and sovereigns.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the choice of timber figure, the crispness of carved details like Renaissance revival motifs, and the integration of fitted secretaire drawers.
Proportion and the handling of Neoclassical revival or Sheraton-inspired lines separate standard workshop output from exceptional studio pieces.
Gillows of Lancaster·Waring and Gillow
The Gillows Bookcase Glossary
- Secretaire
- A cabinet or bookcase incorporating a pull-down writing drawer with internal pigeonholes and small drawers. This feature allows a piece of library furniture to double as a desk.
- Breakfront
- A piece of furniture where the central section projects forward from the flanking wings. This architectural arrangement creates depth and shadow across large library bookcases.
- Astragal glazed
- Glass doors divided into smaller panes by narrow wooden strips known as astragals. These bars form geometric patterns across bookcase fronts.
- Satinwood
- A pale, lustrous hardwood imported from the tropics and utilised extensively for fine Regency and later revival cabinet-making. It takes a high polish and provides sharp contrast in inlaid designs.
Gillows Bookcase: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a gillows bookcase?
A gillows bookcase is a piece of storage furniture produced by the renowned Lancaster and London firm or made in their established manner. These items range from large breakfront library pieces to smaller satinwood secretaire cabinets.
They combine practical shelving with refined proportions, utilising high-grade timber and precise joinery that defined British cabinet-making across multiple centuries.
What woods were used for these bookcases?
Cabinet-makers utilised a variety of timbers depending on the period, most notably figured mahogany, satinwood, rosewood, and burr walnut. Oak often served as a secondary wood for internal carcases and drawer linings.
Finer examples frequently incorporated decorative veneers paired with contrasting inlay and brass hardware.
How do I date a gillows piece?
Dating relies on stylistic clues, timber choice, and construction methods spanning the Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. Regency and George III pieces often show classical restraint, whilst later Victorian and Edwardian examples lean into revival styles.
Makers' stamps, signatures, or specific cabinet-making traits help narrow down the decade of production.