Home
History
Wants List Contact Us
F1022 EDWARD BARNSLEY BOOKCASE 1938

Exceptional breakfront bookcase
6 copper glazing bars to the cupboard doors
Flanked by 2 gun cupboard
Below are a further 6 cupboards
3 central drawers lined in cedar with ebony runners
Solid Cuban mahogany with chequered inlay detail
Ebony beading and rosewood handles

Designed by EDWARD BARNSLEY C.B.E
Made by Herbert Upton and Leslie Munday
Signed to the top

Length 457cm (15ft) Height 219cm (6ft 10) Depth 41cm (1ft 4)
The cabinet comes apart in several sections for ease of transport and installation

PROVENANCE
This bookcase referred to as The Barnsley Cabinet was originally built between 1936 and 1937 by Herbert Upton and his assistant Leslie Munday to a design by Edward Barnsley specifically for Mr and Mrs Fraser Parks. It was installed in their house Collyers near Petersfield in 1938. During the War Collyers became a maternity home and was later purchased by Mr and Mrs Jessell. When they sold the house in the late 1970s the Cabinet was returned to the Barnsley Workshops for slight repairs and alterations as it had originally been fitted into a cornice.

It was subsequently purchased by Lord and Lady Montagu of Beaulieu for Palace House in 1981.

A memorandum to Lord and Lady Montagu dated 8th August 1981reads....

This comes from the workshop of Edward Barnsley, in Froxfield near Petersfield. He designed it especially for Mr and Mrs Fraser Parks of Colliers, Steep to fit in their gun room...

All the visible wood is Cuban mahogany (joined to lesser mahogany), which is now almost impossible to obtain. The two long sections are each of one piece of wood (approximately 15ft long). The wood for the door panels had to be specifically bought and the upper part has copper glazing). It is totally unique and a marvellous example of skilled craft workmanship















Price:






Patch Rogers Designed, built and hosted by Reedhosts