In two parts; the upper section with a broken pediment cornice with dental and acorn molding, above two cupboard doors with rope-molded edges, opening to two shelves and flanked by carved entwined prunus branches below Corinthian capital pilasters, above two candle slides; the lower section with a slant-front with rope-molded edges opening to a writing surface and fitted interior, above three short and three long graduating drawers, carved with prunus branches, raised on ogee bracket feet.

8 ft. 11 in. x 4 ft. 8 in. x 26 in.

Note: The wood samples from this desk have been confirmed by The Chipstone Foundation, in 1991, as follows: Case bottom is tuilp poplar, drawer blades and dust boards are red pine, brace of back of desk is spruce, back boards are white pine, underside of writing surface and drawer sides and bottoms are white oak. There is a small group of similarly carved pieces, one, a card table sold at Christie's, London, December 5, 1991, lot 110, The Samuel Messer Collection of English Furniture,Clocks and Barometers. A second example of an armchair in Percy MacQuoid, History of English Furniture, Lawrence and Bullen, Ltd, 1904, Volume 3 (The Age of Mahogany), pl. XIV a. And a third, a bureau table in a Shreve advertisement in Antiques, May 1944. 

Of very grand scale with a nice warm color. Lacking finial, small age separations of the panel doors with associated age splits and old repairs. Escutcheon replaced, minor replacements to the rope-twist borders, and very minor border losses to the top of the doors. A few patches and molding replacements along the bottom of the upper section. Small molding replacements on the lower right base of the plinth and lower molded edge. Patch above the lock plate of the slant-front, lock replaced and marked: 'Secure lever, R. Cooper & Son, crown with initials'. Old age splits on the slant-front with patches along the hinge edges of the writing surface. Age splits on the side panels, small veneer loss on the back left foot. Small pieces of rope-twist border replaced along the drawer fronts, handles added later with patches on the drawer fronts. Structurally sound, beautifully carved. Not withstanding this report or any discussion concerning condition of a lot, all lots are offered and sold "as is" in accordance with our conditions of sale.