• Width:
  37 3/4 inches Inches
• Height:
  87 1/4 inches Inches
• Depth:
  24 3/4 inches Inches
• Period:
  William and Mary / Queen Ann
• Origin:
  England/Ireland

The reign of Queen Mary and her Dutch husband King William III led to an influx of important furniture forms, as simplistic designs gave way to innovative ideas including exotic veneers and inlay decoration. This magnificent, late 17th-century bureau cabinet, elaborately inlaid with ivory and marquetry, certainly satisfied the English burgeoning taste for ornamental furniture. William III imported Dutch craftsmen to England who worked with local cabinetmakers, resulting in more elegantly styled pieces like this bureau cabinet. Studded with ivory jessamine flowers and green-stained ivory leaves, the walnut bureau encloses a fitted interior with a writing surface topped by a mirrored cabinet.

As the 17th century came to a close, secretaries, writing bureaus and bookcases became increasingly popular, an imperative piece in the homes of the wealthy and well-educated. Bureau-cabinets like this became the focal point of the manor, serving as statements of wealth, culture and education. The uniquely designed marquetry and simplicity of this elegant secretary result in a truly remarkable and rare William and Mary piece of writing furniture.

Circa 1695

37 3/4" wide x 24 3/4" deep x 87 1/4" high

References:
A History of English Furniture, 1988, Percy MacQuaid
British Antique Furniture, 1989, John Andrews
The Smithsonian Illustrated Library of Antiques, 1979, Robert Bishop & Patricia Coblentz