Featured Dating old bureau

Long story, but if you're interested in antique furniture read on ...


Just bought an old bureau that needs a little love. It's not an expensive piece, and I've no interest in trying to maintain any value. That said, I would like to keep it as original possible and ensure any repairs I do are 'sympathetic'. I'm not going to strip and paint it or anything


My first job is redoing the drop front hinges. Like most bureaus, at some point in its life the drop front was used without the lopers, and the hinges and desk mounts were damaged. It's obvious where the hinges have been moved sideways, and there's a repair where they would have originally been attached to the chest.


What I don't know is if they repaired it with the original hinges, and to know that, I first have to date the piece.


Interestingly, there was a hand written note affixed into the 'secret drawer', left there as a keepsake by the various owners over the years. It states the piece was given as a birthday present from a woman to her grandson in 1892. That doesn't mean it was given new of course. It may well have been an heirloom passed down. Much of the style seems to be more 18th century than 19th, though changes have clearly been made over the years. It looks to have had batwing pulls originally. Queen Anne style bails were added later. There's one apparently original batwing left on the drop front, and I can see where they had once been fitted to the drawers. But the woodworking looks too old, too hand-crafted, for a piece from 1892.


See the attached pic. I believe it to be mostly an oak construction, though there are mahogany faced drawers in the pigeon holed interior. I'm also guessing this is an English piece, even though it has resided in Canada for many decades.


Thoughts?

 

Do you have more photos?

 

Pics of the joinery on the drawers and the undersides,as well as the back would help a lot.

 

1892 seems perfectly accurate as an original date of construction; in fact, I would have guessed a few years later. But yes, we do need more photos.

 

My first impression is English Georgian, an early 19th century oak piece. Fairly ‘crudely’ made so to speak, not of the finest quality but still of solid construction and has still lasted a very long time and probably still will. Handles are English, typical Georgian bracket feet, English lock setting, Georgian handles to the secretary drawers, and last of all being oak, a typical timber for the period. That being said, it could have been made in the late 19th century, but it would be unusual to make in that style. More photos would be great too! Hope that helps!

 

On the other hand, late 19th-early 20th century saw a Georgian Revival.