Sheraton Writing Bureau
These sheraton writing bureau pieces combine fitted compartments with a drop writing flap, offering a refined workspace built to last.
Sheraton Writing Bureau
A sheraton writing bureau provides a dedicated writing surface, often paired with drawers, pigeonholes, and small cupboards hidden behind a fall front or cylinder top. The pieces on this page span several periods, originating in the eighteenth century alongside pieces created during the Victorian, Edwardian, and later revivals.
Buyers encounter forms ranging from compact fall-front desks and bureau bookcases to sophisticated Carlton House desks and cylinder writing cabinets. Mahogany, satinwood, and rosewood form the main structural woods, frequently accented by contrasting stringing and marquetry.
How they were made
Cabinetmakers constructed these writing desks using solid timbers like mahogany and sabicu, applying delicate veneers of satinwood and partridgewood to drawer fronts and writing surfaces. Satinwood inlay, boxwood stringing, and hand-painted motifs decorated the external panels, while secondary woods lined the interior drawers.
Complex mechanisms such as cylinder tops, tambour shutters, and fitted interior compartments required precise joinery to ensure smooth operation of sliding writing slides and folding writing flaps.
Listings feature items spanning the eighteenth century, Georgian era, Victorian period, and Edwardian Sheraton Revival.
What varies in quality
Quality rests upon the selection of timbers and the precision of the marquetry and inlay work. Finer examples display carefully matched grain patterns across primary surfaces and crisp, neatly cut boxwood and satinwood stringing.
The sophistication of the internal fittings defines the tier of a piece. Superior bureaux offer intricately arranged pigeonholes, hidden secret compartments, and finely dovetailed drawer construction that remains tight and square.
Maple and Co·Edwards and Roberts
The Sheraton Writing Bureau Glossary
- Bureau
- A desk with a sloping hinged lid that covers compartments for papers and writing materials. It often sits atop a chest of drawers.
- Fall front
- A hinged writing flap that drops down into a horizontal position for writing. When closed, it conceals the fitted interior.
- Cylinder top
- A curved, quarter-circle wooden shutter that slides back into the body of the desk to reveal the writing surface and pigeonholes.
- Marquetry
- Decorative veneer work formed by fitting together small pieces of various coloured woods to create pictorial or geometric patterns.
- Secretaire
- A piece of furniture containing a drawer or compartment configured for writing, often disguised as a standard chest of drawers.
Sheraton Writing Bureau: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a bureau?
Lower the hinged front panel to create a stable writing surface above the fitted pigeonholes and small drawers. Close the flap when writing finishes to conceal correspondence and keep the room tidy.
Store writing paper and pens in the internal compartments while utilising the lower drawers for larger documents and household items.
What is a cylinder desk?
A cylinder desk utilises a curved wooden shutter that rolls backward into the body of the cabinet. This action exposes the writing deck and internal stationery drawers.
Pushing the cylinder forward covers the writing area and locks the internal compartments for privacy when not in use.
How do I date a bureau?
Examine the secondary timbers inside the drawer linings, the style of the brass hardware, and the complexity of the inlay work. Eighteenth-century pieces typically show hand-cut dovetails and native timber linings.
Revival pieces from the Edwardian period adopt lighter satinwood veneers and painted floral decoration reflecting the taste of nineteen-hundred.
Where should I place a bureau?
Position the desk against a stable wall with adequate natural light falling across the writing flap from the side. Freestanding models with finished backs can also sit toward the centre of a study.
Keep the timber away from direct heat sources and strong sunlight to protect delicate satinwood veneers and prevent the wood from drying out.