English Davenports
DAVENPORTS
Rosewood avenport, with elegant Regency decorations, showing the unusual feature of a towing handle.
A burr walnut, fine quality davenport with inlaid stringing lines and brass gallery rail. The flap folds over and is supported by two Topers, a more comfortable arrangement than most. 1820-1840
The name davenport is assumed to have arisen from an entry in Gillow’s Cost Books in the 1790s: for “Captain Davenport, a desk” written alongside this design. The sloping lid and the gallery brass or wood around the top, are characteristic, as are the real drawers on one side and the false ones on the other. Another feature is the rising compartment at the top released by a spring, containing drawers and pigeon-holes.
Inventiveness of design was a feature of this type of furniture.
The Pictorial Dictionary of 19th Century Furniture Design shows some 45 different designs.
A satinwood davenport of the very early nineteenth century showing the restrained early design, a brushing slide at the top of the drawers.
Made in rosewood, with an arched door, flat Corinthian pillars. A restrained and elegant piece not unlike a design shown for 1835.
In mahogany, with an elegantly turned wooden gallery. Looks like half a pedestal desk perhaps because of the broad plain plank at the bottom.
Regency elegance gives away to Victorian opulence in this piano fall piece, with pull-out front.
By contrast a slightly earlier restrained design; note the small side drawer in which the ink was kept. As usual drawer fronts each side but one side false. c. 1830
The all conquering cabriole leg, so typical of the 1850s, seen here supporting a fine walnut example with pop-up gallery decorated with fret. It has a piano front and is almost identical to an example in W. Smee & Son’s 1850 catalogue. Increasingly in demand with these features.
Yew, inlaid ivory, Irish harp, views of ruins, a product of the Muckross Abbey School, who made a wide variety of highly decorated pieces using yew. The foliage is typical.
The grapes carved on the knee of the cabriole and brass gallery give this a touch of quality.
The crude carving on the knees of the cabrioles, the lack of gallery and inlay all indicate a step down in quality. c. 1860
A Davenport veneered in satinwood of c. 1800. The name of this piece of furniture is assumed to have arisen from Gillows Cost Books in the late 18th century where the entry ‘Captain Davenport, a desk’ occurs. The
sloping lid and brass gallery are characteristic and this example has a slide above the drawers on the right hand side. There is a set of false drawer fronts down the left hand side not seen in this photograph. The lid is inset with tooled leather.
Satinwood Regency Period Davenport
A later Regency period mahogany Davenport with interesting turned columns. The lid is inset with leather and the top or desk section exhibits the same small drawer let into the right hand side as in the previous
example. It has been suggested that this was a useful way to keep ink away from the documents inside the piece. The drawers on the right hand side are the opening ones; a set of false drawer fronts decorates the left
side, unseen in this photograph.
Regency period Decorative veneers
A Victorian burr walnut Davenport of c. 1850. The top section can be released by a catch under the lid to pop up on a spring and is fitted with pigeon holes. The serpentine shaped front and cabriole fashion front
supports are typical of the better quality Victorian versions of this piece of furniture. The lid is inset with red tooled leather.
Value points: Burr Walnut Decoration
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Tags: Burr Walnut, cabriole, century furniture, corinthian pillars, Davenports, different designs, furniture design, mahogany, pedestal desk, Rosewood, satinwood