The John Townsend Four Shell Bureau 

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The John Townsend Bureau is located and on display at the Yale University Art Gallery.  This one is dated 1785-1790. 

The Bureau has 4 shells, the 2 convex are applied. The six lower drawers are blocked with the shells providing the blocking on the large center drawer.

The bottoms of the drawers and the runners are nailed on to the sides of the drawers  which was unique to Newport furniture of that time.

Reproduced with all the original joinery.  The primary wood is figured genuine mahogany (2 boards), the secondary is poplar. The hardware which matches the original is from Optimum Brasses UK.  The shells on this piece and the one in Huston Art Museum are the only two with crosshatching on the center.

Water based dye, shellac and wax finish.

The dimensions are 36 W  x 20 D x 34 H case is 18 ½ D