Maple and Co Cabinet
A maple and co cabinet brings the peerless craftsmanship of a legendary London maker into your home, offering both refined storage and striking period presence.
The Maple and Co Cabinet
A maple and co cabinet represents the pinnacle of late Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco commercial cabinet-making. When you search for this phrase, you encounter diverse forms ranging from compact bedside units to grand display cabinets and secretaire chests.
The pieces on this page lean heavily towards Edwardian and Queen Anne revival display pieces alongside polished walnut and burr walnut bedside iterations. These works originate from workshops that supplied the most discerning households of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Makers working under this famous brand utilised a vast array of cabinet forms to satisfy domestic needs. You find specialised furniture designed for books, cocktails, and treasured ornaments, each bearing the hallmark of London trade excellence.
Judging Quality and Execution
The division between ordinary and exceptional works rests upon the selection of timber veneers and the crispness of the inlaid details. Rich burr walnut and figured satinwood command greater admiration than plain secondary timbers.
Hardware weight and joinery precision further separate standard commercial lines from high-end bespoke commissions. Original brass handles, smoothly operating drawers, and intact bevelled glass plates elevate the standing of any surviving piece.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for maple and co cabinet, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
The archive records frequent appearances of Edwardian and Queen Anne revival styles alongside Art Deco birds-eye maple designs.
Maple and Co·Gamages of Holborn·Pollards of Clerkenwell·Coxed and Woster
The Maple and Co Cabinet Glossary
- Burr walnut
- A highly figured timber harvested from the wart-like growths on walnut trees, prized for its swirling grain patterns. Cabinet-makers sliced this wood into thin sheets to veneer prominent door panels and drawer fronts.
- Inlay
- A decorative technique where small pieces of contrasting wood or other materials are inserted into recessed cavities on the furniture surface. This method created intricate borders and classical motifs across the face of the cabinet.
- Glazed bookcase
- A tall storage unit featuring glass-fronted doors designed to protect volumes from dust while displaying fine bindings. These often incorporated adjustable wooden shelving supported by brass racks.
- Serpentine front
- A furniture silhouette featuring a gentle, undulating curve that sweeps outward at the centre and inwards at the sides. This sophisticated shape required advanced woodworking skill to execute properly.
- Secretaire
- A desk form incorporating a drop-front writing flap that conceals a series of small pigeonholes and miniature drawers. It combined the storage capacity of a cabinet with the utility of a writing table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these cabinets cover?
The available selection spans from the late nineteenth century through the Edwardian era into the Art Deco period of the nineteen-thirties. You will find Victorian foundational styles alongside streamlined modernist veneering.
Each period reflects distinct stylistic preferences, moving from heavy inlaid rosewood and mahogany towards lighter satinwood and striking birds-eye maple.
How do I identify a genuine piece?
Look for maker stamps, retailer plaques, or handwritten signatures left inside drawers and on the backboards of the carcase. The quality of the timber selection and the precision of the marquetry also serve as reliable indicators.
Construction methods such as hand-cut dovetails and original brass hardware help confirm the period authenticity of the work.
Where were these cabinets used originally?
Clients placed these furnishings in drawing rooms, parlours, bedrooms, and libraries depending on the specific form. Display cabinets and bookcases occupied formal entertaining spaces to exhibit literature and curiosities.
Bedside units and cocktail cabinets served private chambers and reception rooms, providing concealed storage for nighttime essentials or beverages.
How should I care for timber surfaces?
Maintain the finish by keeping the wood away from direct sunlight and steady heat sources that can dry out antique veneers. Apply a quality natural beeswax periodically to nourish the grain and protect the polish.
Avoid using silicone-based sprays or commercial polishes which can build up a residue and dull the historic sheen of the surface.