An Extremely Rare Pair Of Mid 19th Century Mahogany Wall Hanging Shelves, Of Superbly Useful Tall & Narrow Proportions, Each With Five Well Figured Rectangular Shelves United By Elegant Turned Upright Supports.

This really is an exceptionally rare and attractive pair of mid 19th century wall hanging shelves, not least because finding two genuinely matching examples together is considerably more difficult than finding a single set. Wall shelves and whatnots of various forms were relatively popular throughout the 19th century, but pairs such as these, particularly with such unusual tall and narrow proportions, are encountered extremely infrequently.

Standing around 38in high, whilst measuring only around 13in wide and 6in deep, the proportions are probably their greatest attraction. They have an impressive amount of height and presence when hung on a wall, yet occupy remarkably little actual space. This makes them incredibly useful in areas where conventional shelving or furniture would simply be too cumbersome, particularly narrow wall spaces, alcoves, either side of a doorway, window or fireplace, or even flanking a larger piece of furniture or artwork.

Constructed from good quality mahogany throughout, they retain a lovely rich colour and surface, with attractive natural figuring to the five rectangular shelves of each. The numerous elegant turned upright supports are particularly pleasing and give the shelves a wonderfully light, almost architectural appearance, whilst still providing sufficient strength and rigidity for practical everyday use.

Another particularly appealing aspect is their simplicity. There is no unnecessary carving or elaborate decoration to detract from the overall form, with the repeated turning of the upright supports providing all the interest required. The result is a design which is unmistakably 19th century, but which remains extremely easy to incorporate into both traditional and more contemporary interiors.

Of course their original purpose would have been for displaying smaller decorative objects, books, ceramics or other treasured possessions, and they remain absolutely perfect for exactly that today. The relatively shallow 6in depth is particularly useful in this respect, allowing objects to be displayed without the shelves projecting excessively into the room.

It is however the fact that they have survived as a matching pair which really sets them apart. Individual antique hanging shelves appear on the market from time to time, but locating a pair of this scale, form and particularly unusual tall, narrow proportions is considerably more challenging. Hung symmetrically, they create an extremely effective decorative feature whilst still remaining genuinely practical pieces of furniture.

There are various old marks, stains, scuffs and minor imperfections throughout, entirely commensurate with age and use, but importantly they retain a wonderfully honest appearance, along with the rich colour and surface which can only really be acquired through many generations of use.

As with all items which we offer for sale, these wall hanging shelves have been attended to in our workshops where necessary, before being given a natural wax polish. They are now ready to be hung and enjoyed immediately.

Circa 1840.

Height 37.5in.
Width 13in.
Depth 6in.