Rosewood Davenport Desk

A Georgian rosewood Davenport.

Although Davenports were quickly adopted as useful pieces of domestic furniture, providing a small desk with plenty of storage, it should not be forgotten that the design was first conceived by Gillows as a piece of portable furniture for Captain Davenport.

This example is very good quality with the cabinet maker going the extra mile in its construction. The sides are panelled with fine moulding to the edges. The interior of these panels have an additional moulding for extra strength which can only be seen when the side drawers are removed. The angled writing slope has a removable lectern bar with a moulded front edge and flat back edge. It has fat brass pins that sit into brass lined holes. The leather writing area has a tooled border. The slope has a lock with key that also opens the side cupboard. The interior of the slope has two short drawers to the top and a long faux drawer below. Pulling the right-hand knob handle of the dummy drawer releases the hidden side drawer which pops open on a sprung catch. This small drawer has dividers for two inkwells and a well for pens etc. The cupboard door to the right-hand side hides four graduated mahogany drawers. There is a pull out slide to each side and their rich, dark patina hidden from the light, gives an indication of the original colour of the rosewood, now faded giving the grain a more striking look.

The Davenport's short turned feet sit on castors to allow it to be easily moved around a room. This is a very useful piece of furniture combining both elegance and practicality for use with a laptop. Early 19th Century.