Antique Bureaux
The quality of the fitments of these antiques and the amount of the detail have a significant bearing on price. Some antique bureaux are fitted with a concealed well, wich can be reached only from the inside by pushing back the covering slide to reveal a hollow section. In addition to a well, some have small pull-out “secret” slides, disguised as pilasters, on either slide of the central cupboard.
Fall-fronts are prone to splitting or cracking, especially in the hinge area. They are also liable to warp owing to the fact that they are made from one large piece of wood. What an antique piece!