A very rare and fantastic quality regency period burr
elm early 19th century davenport having lift up swivel
top retaining original ormolu gallery with pierced handle
and leather inset top over four long drawers with elegant
bobbin moulded decoration raised on original turned bun feet

(Davenports owe their name to Captain Davenport who was the first
person to commission a piece of furniture of this form, from the well
known and hugely respected firm Gillows, of Lancaster, towards
the end of the 18th century. They generally lost their elegant and
simple design as the 19th century progressed and once the Victorian
era came around they were many of them being produced, a lot of
which were extremely fussy in their design and also questionable in
their quality of construction. This piece however is very much early
regency in date and it’s features certainly combine to create a fine
quality piece of furniture. It has mahogany and ash secondary timbers
fine ormolu furnishings and retains it’s original elegant turned bun feet.
The swivel top also has a most rare mechanical action connected to the
back of it which means that when the top swivels to one side a writing
slide is automatically popped out of the other side. This is an extremely
rare and charming feature which we have actually never previously
come across.)