How to date a Georgian bureau
A short guide to handles, linings, feet and the small clues inside.
Start with proportion. Georgian bureaus tend to have a disciplined, useful shape, with drawers that feel balanced rather than showy.
Look at the linings, handles and feet. Oak drawer linings, original brasses and well-cut bracket feet can all support the date, though none should be judged alone.
Repairs are not a disaster. A bureau that has been kept useful for two hundred years will often have a sensible patch or two.
