An Exceptional 18th-Century George III Period Mahogany 6-Door Breakfront Secretaire Library Bookcase  
Stamped Gillows of Lancaster

A magnificent late 18th-century George III period six-door breakfront library bookcase, in beautifully figured mahogany of exceptional quality. The moulded cornice sits above six astragal-glazed doors enclosing fully adjustable shelves, providing generous and elegant book storage.
The lower breakfront centre section is fitted with a superb secretaire drawer, finely veneered and opening to reveal an arrangement of compartments beneath a sliding, tooled leather-inset writing surface, complete with concealed secret compartments. Below are six richly figured mahogany panelled doors, each opening to adjustable shelving, all raised on a moulded plinth base.
The central drawer is stamped “Gillows of Lancaster,” as shown in the accompanying photograph. The bookcase displays outstanding colour and patina throughout, and its impressive scale, refined proportions, and the exceptional quality of the timber strongly suggest that it was made as a special commission.
The Gillow family were among the most important British cabinetmakers of the 18th and 19th centuries, renowned for their superb craftsmanship, use of the finest woods, and designs that combined elegance with practicality and often ingenious mechanical details. Unusually, the firm operated both from Lancaster and from their London branch (opened in 1770), cementing their reputation and influence at the very forefront of British furniture making.
A highly important, showstopping library piece for the serious collector.