Victorian Mahogany Partner Pedestal Desk, 19th Century

This is a wonderful antique late Victorian mahogany partner pedestal desk, circa 1880 in date. The rectangular top features a stunning inset green and gold tooled leather writing surface. This stunning desk is the same on each side. Each side is fitted with three frieze drawers, three further drawers in one pedestal and a cupboard to the other pedestal, all fitted with the original brass drop handles. The drawers are all oak lined and the pedestals are raised on plinth bases with brass castors underneath. Complete with original brass locks and keys. Instill the elegance of a bygone era to a special place in your home with this fabulous antique partners pedestal desk. The item is not CITES pursuant. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished, waxed and releathered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 76 x Width 151 x Depth 106 Dimensions in inches: Height 29.9 x Width 59.4 x Depth 41.7 Mahogany is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species. Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual mahogany was almost hidden from view. Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect. Although mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments). Cuban mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850s, this particular variety became all but extinct.