Antique Country French Secretary ~ Bookcase

Antique Country French Secretary ~ Bookcase represents a pinnacle in furniture design and development, combining a glass-doored bookcase with a slant-front drop down secretary desk with a chest of drawers, creating a most versatile addition to your home decor!  Hand-crafted from solid oak, it features a neoclassical flair to the design, including an arbalette crown, so named for the French word for the archer's bow.  The crown is adorned with a stylized shell and foliate center piece, all of which looks over the upper display section.  Arched doors with four glass panes allow viewing the contents displayed above on two shelves and a floor surface, and are separated by a center stile carved with foliate flourish which matches the cornerposts.  The upper section rests on the plateau of the lower cabinet, which boasts the aforementioned slant front design, carved with neoclassical relief and a finely bordered panel, which drops open supported by the pull-outs, to create a splendid workspace for a laptop or tablet.  No less than six drawers on the interior provide ample storage to keep things organized.  When the surface is back in place, the entire piece is barely a foot and a half deep, making it extraordinarily traffic-friendly to your room.  An added bonus is six exterior drawers in the cabinet below providing exceptional storage and organizational possibilities.  The drawers are flanked by pilasters matching those of the above glazed section, and their facades are carved with finely executed molded detail with shell and foliate embellishment, then fitted with cast brass pulls.  Bold molding appears throughout the design, especially around the base, which is supported by lions' paws as feet.  Truly an exceptional combination!
Circa mid-1900s
Measures 78H x 44.5W x 18.5D; surface 29.5H