The arched and moulded double-domed cornice above a pair of cupboard doors, each fitted with an arched bevelled mirror plate within a moulded surround, enclosing an open interior fitted with pigeon-holes and feather-banded drawers, above two candle-slides, the rectangular crossbanded fall-front lined with a later leather writing surface to the reverse, enclosing a well and fitted interior with drawers and pigeon-holes, above two short and two long drawers on a moulded plinth with later bun feet, the mirror plates replaced, the gilt finials and blocks replaced, the interior to the upper section adapted, restorations
88 in. (223 cm.) high; 43¹⁄₂ in. (110.5 cm.) wide; 24³⁄₄ in. (62.5 cm.) deep

Acquired from Apter Fredericks, London, 18 October 1986 (£59,000).

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Lot Essay

This double-domed bureau-cabinet is closely related to a walnut cabinet of the 1720s bearing the initials 'IB' and attributed to John Belchier of St. Paul's Churchyard (C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, figs. 60 and 61). The base section of the current lot closely relates to a bureau-cabinet with a brass plaque to reverse inscribed 'made by Master Cabinet Maker John Belchier b-1683 d-1753 at 'the sign of the Sun' in St. Paul's Church Yard London C 1710-1720', sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 12-13 July 2005, lot 1217. Furthermore, the configuration of the drawers and the moulded framing of the inset mirror doors are comparable to the The Brownlow Bureau Cabinet, also attributed to Belchier, which forms part of the National Trust Collection at Belton House, Lincolnshire (inv. no. 435042).