An early 18th century Italian walnut and marquetry bureau bookcase

An early 18th century Italian walnut and marquetry bureau bookcase, inlaid with stringing and with panels of fruitwood foliate strapwork, the sides with crosses, with a pair of arched later mirrored doors, enclosing a plane wood interior of pigeonholes and shelves, above a hinged fall, revealing a later baize writing surface and eight drawers, with a sliding well cover and two secret drawers, above two short and two long graduated drawers on flattened bun feet, possibly Genova, 202.8cm high, 112.3cm wide, 56.2cm deep.

Provenance: Count Redmond Toler Clayton-Browne Clayton (1863-1937) of the Villa La Punta, Cervara, Santa Margherita, Liguria, Italy. Bequeathed to his nephew, Sir Henry Russell Hornby, Bt, (1888-1971), 2nd Baronet of Brookhouse, of Barraclough, Clitheroe, Lancashire and thence by descent.