A 19th Century Mahogany Writing Table, in the Manner of Gillows of Lancaster

A 19th Century Mahogany Writing Table, in the Manner of Gillows of Lancaster

A fine early 19th century mahogany writing table, of restrained yet elegant proportions, attributable to the celebrated firm of Gillows of Lancaster. The rectangular top with moulded edge is raised on four finely reeded and turned legs, terminating in brass caps and castors.

The frieze fitted with a single lockable drawer, internally divided with lidded and open compartments, designed for ink, pens, and writing accoutrements. The clean design, careful use of figured mahogany, and refined leg turning are all hallmarks of Gillows’ output, whose craftsmanship and influence on English furniture design of the Regency period were unrivalled.

Practical yet elegant, this writing table demonstrates the balance between utility and refinement that Gillows became synonymous with, and would have served as both a functional desk and a piece of genteel domestic furniture.

English, circa 1850