Of fine scale and exceptional quality, this great breakfront-bookcase exemplifies the finest English cabinet-making of the mid-eighteenth century and bears all the hallmarks of Thomas Chippendale’s workshop. The architectural form, superior construction, and richly carved detail place it among the most accomplished examples of the period.

The swan-neck pediment, with finely pierced Chinese fretwork and foliate rosette terms, crowns a dentil-moulded cornice above four astragal-glazed doors enclosing adjustable bookshelves. The lower section is distinguished by a rare pagoda-shaped waist moulding—an unmistakable nod to the Chinese influence integral to the English Rococo. At the centre is a secretaire drawer with an inset leather-lined writing panel and a fitted interior of satinwood and mahogany, all executed with exceptional precision. Below are four paneled cupboard doors enclosing adjustable shelves, the whole raised on a solid plinth base.

The entire bookcase is constructed in eight parts, a mark of sophisticated design, allowing for transportation and reassembly—a practicality shared with Chippendale’s grandest commissions. The craftsmanship throughout is of the highest calibre: the finely dovetailed drawers run smoothly; the carving is crisp, fluent, and confident; and the mahogany is of particularly fine and dense quality, selected for its colour and grain.

This design is a triumph of Chippendale’s synthesis of stylistic traditions. Chinese-inspired fretwork and astragals are harmonised with French Rococo foliate handles and Gothic-arched door panels. The overall silhouette and many specific elements—including the pediment, panelled doors, and dentil mouldings—closely align with designs published in both the first and third editions of The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director.

A closely related Chippendale design survives in Sir William Chambers’s c.1760–62 proposal for a study at Pembroke House, the London residence of the Earls of Pembroke, where Chippendale is known to have supplied furnishings. That design, featuring a swan-neck pediment and similarly articulated glazed doors, reinforces the attribution to Chippendale’s workshop.

This bookcase stands as a testament to the artistic ambitions of mid-Georgian cabinet-making and to Chippendale’s enduring legacy as the most inventive and influential furniture designer of his age.