For sale. Exceptional & Unique Victorian Gillows Partners Desk in Solid Mahogany - Circa 1870

Hello, my name is Jan Elias and I am a retired antique dealer from Dorking in Surrey. Throughout my long career I have sold over a thousand desks including many rare pieces from £1,000s to £10,000s and beyond! I am now, regrettably, selling my personal collection of desks, some of which are extremely rare indeed. This partners desk by Gillows is the best one I have seen in 45 years in the trade - further details below and in this video. I have several other desks of truly exceptional quality and provenance. So do please contact me if you are interested in acquiring a rare desk. Jan Elias December 2024 This video is about my favourite desk. It`s a Gillows of Lancaster desk solid mahogany, serpentine sided, pedestal partners desk in near mint original condition. The desk was made by Gillows' master craftsmen around 1870 when Gillows were considered to be at the height of their excellence and before their later merger with Waring. In a modern context the desk is more a "Work of Art '' than simply a piece of furniture and yet it is still very practical and usable as a desk. Gillows desks were made for many important buyers including for Royalty and State buildings around the world. No expense was spared on the quality of materials or the time used or in the detail and quality of workmanship. The mahogany was imported from the Americas on Gillows' own boat called "Bridget" and was transported from Liverpool to the factory by rail on their own branch line. All the carvings on the desk are in raised relief and form part of the desk itself i.e. they are not stuck onto the desk surfaces but are carved into solid pieces of mahogany. The desk is of serpentine form on all sides. The curves are created from solid pieces of mahogany that have been hand worked into the curved shape by Gillows' master cabinet makers. A labour intensive process that is likely to be never repeated, making this desk a unique example at the height of Victorian craftsmanship. The desk has many fine details which at the time were ground breaking and innovative. All parts of the desk are made from mahogany, including the underside of the top, inside the cabinets, and all the drawer linings. After 150 years since its construction. it still all works perfectly today. All these elements make this desk my favourite desk and I have not seen anything similar to match it in over 45 years of working in the antiques trade in Dorking. Dorking has a long association with antiques in the United Kingdom. In addition, I am a Master Cabinet Maker who completed my woodworking apprenticeship working entirely on restoring all types of antique furniture. When I started my own business I decided to specialise in buying and selling and restoring all types of writing furniture. Since then until I retired, about 10 years ago, I must have bought and sold over a thousand desks including many stamped and rare ones including several Gillows pieces.