Item of the Week - 19th Century Mahogany Cylinder Bureau Bookcase

Antique Bureaus were regarded as an imperative piece of furniture in the years before modern technology, as one of the only means of communication was to write a letter. In order to be able to do this, you needed a sturdy & reliable writing surface on which to draft one.

As is the case with a lot of Antique furniture, the Bureau has evolved throughout the ages with more and more compartments and pigeon holes being added to enable writers to store their stationary amongst other items. There were also a number of different styles of Bureaus and this one that we’ve chosen for ‘Item of the Week’ perfectly showcases their multi-functionality.

Not only is this a Cylinder Bureau but it’s a Bookcase Bureau too. It therefore acts as several pieces of furniture in one. The beauty of the cylindrical opening is that it rolls open and away from you, and is therefore out of site and unobtrusive to the work that you undertake whilst sat at the desk. It can then easily be rolled back in to its closed position to conceal your desk contents.

The writing surface of this Bureau is slightly different to a standard Bureau in that it doesn't have a drop down surface; when required you simply pull the desk surface out towards you, creating a space for your legs to be positioned comfortably underneath, and your work/desk contents can then remain on the surface even if you haven’t finished and can simply be pushed back in until you’re ready to return to it. It also has eight pigeon holes and eight small drawers to store your stationary in.

Having a large bookcase above transforms this in to the perfect study space with the benefit of having the books you require at arm’s length. Equally you could use the ample shelf space to display your favourite chinaware or ornaments. 

Made from a warm mahogany this wonderful 19th Century piece of furniture acts as a writing table, a bookcase, a cupboard or a display cabinet. Open it up and show it off in its full potential or keep its inner splendour hidden and use it simply for display purposes. The choice is yours.

This Bureau is being sold by Helios & Co Antiques for £1,195. 

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