Baroque tabernacle secretary dated 1778, retaining its elaborate original hand-painted exterior and remarkable decorative character. The upper central cabinet door features a depiction of St. George slaying the dragon, with the date 1778 painted above. Intricate flourishes in black, antique white, green, red, teal, and blue embellish the traditional faux wood painted background, creating a richly detailed example of European country craftsmanship in this writing cabinet.
The upper section is arranged with a central cabinet door flanked by five small drawers on each side, providing ten small drawers for storage. A gently bowed drawer is positioned beneath the curved central cabinet door, complementing the architectural lines of the secretary.
Below, the drop-front writing surface opens to create a functional desktop that rests on the upper edge of the lower chest of drawers. Three large curved drawers provide additional storage and are fitted with two wooden pulls each. Original-style hand-wrought iron hinges reflect traditional construction methods.
Two keys are included, one for the upper cabinet door and another for the secretary drop front. Both keys should be used as pulls only rather than as functioning locks. The contrasting blue interior paint is old but likely not original to the cabinet.
More than two centuries of use are evident in the aged painted surface and construction. A crack is visible along the lower center of the upper cabinet door, while age related separation appears along the back, sides, drawer bottoms, corners, and seams throughout. Additional small cracks, nicks, gouges, and distress to the original paint reflect the cabinet's long history.
Restored, stable, and ready to use. A highly decorative Baroque secretary combining intricate original painted artwork with practical storage and a functional writing surface.
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