The Antique Bureau is a term used for a writing desk with a sloping fall-front and is one of the earliest forms of writing furniture, first seen in the Mid 17th Century. The antique bureau is a french design but copied by English Cabinet makers. They would use gate legs to support the fall fronts but by the 18th century the gate leg supports were replaced by sliding pull out loppers at each side as this was a much more practical design. Antique bureaux come with interesting features such as small drawers, pigeon holes, sliding bookends or bible wells to conceal important documents or jewellery. Until the mid 18th Century the bureau section was a free standing, but then it was combined with a chest of drawers making the more well known Georgian Bureau design. Mouldings on the fronts of the dust boards can be seen on the earlier versions but the Georgian examples have cock beading on the edges of the drawers with a hinged Fall front and were usually made from Mahogany or Oak. Earlier antique Bureaux would have used more exotic veneers such as Burr Walnut with feather banding, string inlay or cross banding as decoration. Later Victorian and Edwardian Bureaus were mainly in Mahogany and highly inlaid with decorative floral designs. Have a look below at our lovely examples available for sale.
