original text : (Automatic translation)
An exceptional, William III-period bureau bookcase attributed to the English firm of Coxed and Woster. Crafted of oak and covered in a veneer stained to resemble tortoiseshell, this bookcase is a marvel both inside and out. The exterior decoration, with its slanted front and bun feet, complements the unique veneer with beautiful beveled mirrored doors, banded inlay and ornate brass drawer pulls. Open the doors and lower the leather-lined writing surface, and the cabinet reveals a particularly detailed interior with drawers, document slots, pigeon-holes and shelves. Thanks to this plethora of compartments, both open and hidden, this piece becomes not only an item of graceful beauty but one of outstanding design, construction, and usefulness.

A similar example is pictured in Christopher Gilbert's Marked London Furniture.

Circa 1700

Bureaux of this type are known as “mulberry” bureaux, not in reference to the wood of the mulberry bush, but to a rich burr maple veneer, which when treated, reveals a stunning, tortoiseshell-like pattern of high drama and contrast. John Coxed, his successor George Coxed, and his partner, Thomas Woster, were particularly known for creating distinctive bureaux with this combination of field maple and metal inlay, so much so that most examples are attributed to these celebrated artisans.