18th Century George II Miniature Campaign Bureau Chest on Later Chest Stand

Mid-18th century, made in Britain, circa 1760-1770.

The bureau chest sits on a later stand/chest, that we estimate is late 19th century, circa 1860-1880. It is also British.

We believe that the primary wood in this piece is either Elm or Sycamore with mahogany elements.

Classic Campaign style miniature Bureau Chest, with its ORIGINAL George II brass hardware, including handles on the sides for easy carriage, which is what proves to us, that this chest was made for campaign purposes.

The brasses are GORGEOUS and are classically George II in style, design and construction.

The quality, thickness and patina to the brasses, is what ‘initially’ tells us, that this is a ‘period’ piece and not a reproduction.

Likewise, the dovetailing detail to the drawers, tells us that this was a hand crafted piece and certainly NOT machine made.

The secondary woods appear to be a combination of oak and pine, exactly as one would expect.

The central keyhole escutcheons are FANTASTIC and are in the form of a pair of opposing ‘lyres’.

We have never seen anything like them!

Beautiful natural patina!

The ‘brasses’ look like they have been polished a ‘little too often and vigorously’, over the piece’s 250+ years history … BUT … the bonus of this cleaning is the creation of a rather appealing, ‘2 Tone effect’, on the patina of the wood around the brasses.

The Bureau has a flat gallery on top with raised molding around the back and sides.

The central bureau door has a raised molding/plinth/ledge on the front, for resting books or papers and opens to sit on 2 pull out brackets underneath, for support.

The bureau door opens to reveal the writing slope, arched pelmet above 5 cubbies, 5 drawers (one large one in the center and 4 smaller ones on either side).

The area just in front of the drawers has a LOVELY sliding lid which gives access to the drawer underneath.

Below the writing area there is a large drawer on top, with 2 smaller drawers below that and another large drawer at the bottom.

The bureau has a simple long footed arched base.

It currently sits on a very sympathetic chest base, which acts as it’s stand. This base is likewise made of elm or sycamore with mahogany elements, but is of later construction. The moldings and patina are a very good match.

It looks like it is a 2 drawer chest, but is in fact one large drawer.

The 4 brass pull handles are really what gives it away as being of more recent construction, as they are more late 19th century, in style and design.

The secondary woods are pine only and it has hand-crafted dovetailing to the drawers.

The base chest/stand sits on 4 turned bulbous feet.

We are of the opinion, that the George II Miniature Bureau, probably originally sat on a plain wooden stand, which was lost at some stage in the 19th Century and replaced with the current base. The 2 pieces have been together for well over 120 years!

Provenance: From a Private Dallas Collection/Originally British Colombia Canada.

Condition: Very good original condition. One or two very minor repairs to the molding trims. It looks like the locks were replaced at some time, but the current locks, are still mid 18C locks. Working key for bureau lock only. Repaired crack to bottom left of bureau door and repair above keyhole escutcheon.

Dimensions: George II Miniature Bureau is 23.5in Tall, 14.5in Deep and 24.25in Wide

Base Chest/Stand is 14.5in Tall, 16in Deep and 26.25in Wide

Total Combined: 38in Tall, 16in Deep and 26.25in Wide