A fine Chinese Export Campaign Desk of solid padouk, the drawers with an inlaid line of ivory and turned horn pulls set within dished housing. This flush finish to the drawer fronts being a good looking innovation that will assist with efficient and safe packing of the desk for travel. Camphorwood has been used for the drawer linings and other secondary cabinet work. The small top right-hand drawer is divided for writing implements, a baize lined slide-out writing surface immediately below which is supported in use by the pull-outs from either side, as is usually found on a bureau-bookcase of this Georgian period. Evidently this desk was originally designed to serve all day-to day needs of the English or perhaps American owner serving in the Far East during the eighteenth century; the lower centre drawer was originally fitted as a gentleman's dressing drawer or Beau Brumell, a slide over panel, dividers and contents now sadly removed.
Chinese circa 1800.
each pedestal h.23 in x w13.25 in
space between pedestals 17.75 in
space height 23 in
overall width 45.25 in x d.21 in x h.35.5 in
height to writing surface 30.5 in
The Ivory registered with DEFRA
Item Code: 1799
£ 13500
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