A very fine American Federal gentlemen’s bureau with linen press richly accentuated with figured mahogany veneers and rarely encountered ormolu mounts, from New York City, circa 1810-1820.

General comments: The New York City cabinet-trade was an active and competitive market in the Federal Era (1785-1820). The proliferation of numerous shops in the city provided affluent clients with work of superior quality. New York cabinetwork is generally considered some of the Nation's best in the Federal Era. Shops such as that of Duncan Phyfe (active 1794-1848), Charles Honore Lannuier (active 1803-1819), Michael Allison (active 1800-1847), and Slover and Taylor (active 1802-1804) produced exceptionally fine work for patrons not only in the New York City area, but also for export to other American urban areas. The complexities of the New York City cabinet-trade, coupled with trans-migration of carvers and joiners between shops make attributions very difficult, if not impossible, for even the most advanced scholar. Early in this century, there was an impulsive tendency to attribute every piece of superior quality New York furniture to the workshop of Duncan Phyfe. More recent scholarship has provided ample evidence that a number of New York shops were capable of producing work of comparable, and in some instances, superior quality. It should, however, be emphasized that the bureau shown here was undoubtedly the product of a superior New York City shop that had access both to the finest quality mahogany, imported French ormolu mounts, and exceptionally talented artisans.

Condition: The bureau contains no major repairs or restorations. The gilded ormolu “collars” which adorn the half columns are original but have been re-gilded in a first-class manner. The brass “lion’s head” pulls are modern replacements. The chest has on older surface resulting in a warm mellow amber color with excellent patina.

Dimensions: Height is 48”, Depth is 24”, Length is 46”.

CA.00.116.1