antique victorian serpentine burr walnut marquetry credenza 19th c

This is an exceptional quality antique Victorian ormolu mountedburr walnut and andmarquetry inlaid serpentine credenza, circa 1860 in date.

Oozing sophistication and charm, this credenza is the absolute epitome of Victorian high society.The entire piece highlights the unique and truly exceptional pattern of the book matched burr walnut veneers, andit has been enriched by the beautiful boxwood line inlay, kingwoodcrossbanding and marquetry inlaid decoration.The credenza is of serpentine form and has apanelled door in the centre which is decorated with beautifulinlaid marquetry decoration.The central dooropens to reveal a shelf and plenty of storage space for drinks, glasses, crockery, etc.
The end doors are serpentine and glazed, each encloses a central shelf perfect for displaying your ornaments.Its attention to detail and lavish decoration are certain to draw the eye wherever you choose to place it in your home.
Condition:In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.Dimensions in cm:Height 110 x Width 186 x Depth 44Dimensions in inches:Height 3 foot, 7 inches x Width 6 feet, 1 inch x Depth 1 foot, 5 inches
Our reference: A2400
'Burr Walnut' refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produce some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.
Marquetry
is decorative artistry where pieces of material (such as wood, mother of pearl, pewter, brass silver or shell) of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers.The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, called opere di commessi, has medieval parallels in Central Italian "Cosmati"-work of inlaid marble floors, altars and columns. The technique is known in English as pietra dura, for the "hardstones" used: onyx, jasper, cornelian, lapis lazuli and colored marbles. In Florence, the Chapel of the Medici at San Lorenzo is completely covered in a colored marble facing using this demanding jig-sawn technique.Techniques of wood marquetry were developed in Antwerp and other Flemish centers of luxury cabinet-making during the early 16th century. The craft was imported full-blown to France after the mid-seventeenth century, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury being made at the royal manufactory of the Gobelins, charged with providing furnishings to decorate Versailles and the other royal residences of Louis XIV. Early masters of French marquetry were the Fleming Pierre Golle and his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, who founded a dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers (ébénistes) and gave his name to a technique of marquetry employing shell and brass with pewter in arabesque or intricately foliate designs.Ormolu -(from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-caratgoldin amercuryamalgamto an object ofbronze.The mercury is driven off in akilnleaving behind a gold-coloured veneerknown as'gilt bronze'.The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding orfire-gilding, in which a solution ofnitrate of mercuryis applied to a piece ofcopper,brass, or bronze, followed by the application of anamalgamof gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour.Electroplatingis the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used onsilver, to producesilver-gilt(also known asvermeil).

Antiques.co.uk Ref: 3U2U7JB72

Width (cm):

186

Height (cm):

110

Depth (cm):

44

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