Late-19th Century Mahogany Wall Shelf or Secretaire Stand

Atypical shelf – wall secretary – designed entirely in solid mahogany at the end of the 19th century.
It is topped by a nicely cut pediment and presenting four small volutes.
This retractable furniture is composed of five shelves, entirely made of solid mahogany.
The main one, in the center, is a large support writing tablet, called ”Wallet” because it unfolds in two parts. One part is made of metal while the other part is made of the same wood species as the frame. The latter are attached to each other with a long brass hinge. They are placed on two foldable brackets, each with a steel pull cord with a knob at the end.
In the upper part, this storage furniture includes two shelves with increasing depths, from 16.5 cm for the first one to 21.5 cm for the second one. They rest individually on the same folding supports as described above.
In the lower part, we find two last shelves with the same fixing process.
All the closing systems, as well as the front push buttons, are made of brass.
This authentic good is fixed at the back of the pediment.
Historical precision: this type of secretary of applique was specifically invented to fit the cramped rooms of boats.
This ingenious wall shelf will undoubtedly adapt to all types of interiors. Its clever and original design will allow you to store your small reading and writing materials, and it will be discreet when you don’t need it.

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Period: late 19th century.

Perfect condition after restoration in our workshop. Waxed finish only.