Important & Extremely Fine 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Coil Walnut Goncalo Alves & Tulipwood Bureau Plat Attributed To Gillows, Circa 1845. The truly incredibly elegant design, stunning timbers & exceptional gilt mounts combine to form the richest & most striking of contrasts. Designed in the Louis XV manner, constructed using the finest Coil Walnut, with Tulipwood crossbanding and Gonçalo Alves moulding. With elaborate foliate gilt bronze mounts throughout, the two sides each adorned with perhaps the finest Gilt Bronze mask you could ever wish to see. It is Museum quality. The Walnut exhibits the most gorgeous of figurations throughout this palatial masterpiece. The mounts and handles are amongst the finest on an English piece & incredibly maintain 90-95% of their original Mercury Gilding. It has one central drawer & is finished in the round so as to enable this stunning piece to be displayed centrally. It has the most delightfully swept cabriole legs, terminating with Gilt Bronze sabots. In excellent condition commensurate with its age & use.

The furniture of Gillows is to be found in Royal collections and Museums throughout the World. The publication of Susan E. Stuart’s scholarly and invaluable study on the company, published by the Antique Collectors Club is a masterpiece of its’ type, and a wonderful exegesis of the company. The founder of the Gillows dynasty, Robert ( 1704-1772 ) rose from humble beginnings as a provincial joiner, and evolved into a consummate businessman following a pursuit of excellence throughout his life. Founding his business in 1730 he expanded his furniture making activities to include the direct import of quality West Indian timbers especially the finest mahogany. His talents as both a cabinetmaker as well as innovative designer brought him early success, and bringing his two sons, Richard & Robert, into the business, he expanded his Lancaster showroom, to include another in London’s Oxford Street. The clientele now included the Government & the aristocracy. His furniture had gained its’ reputation for excellence of workmanship and materials employed, coupled with his insistence on being at the cutting edge of design kept the company to the fore throughout its’ incredibly long history.

Goncalo Alves is a Brazilian wood also known as Albuera, Tigerwood & Zebrawood, a name that underscores this hardwood’s often dramatic contrasting colour scheme. In the early 19th Century it cost 40% more than Mahogany. Furniture that incorporated this expensive & beautiful timber are most often now regarded as among the finest & most important works of the period.

The powerful elegance, exquisite design, construction & rarity of this fabulous table cannot be overstated, it is one of the finest made by Gillows.