Pair of Victorian Walnut Bookcases

No: 412 P A very fine quality pair of mid 19th century figured walnut bookcases / cabinets, the rectangular tops with three quarter raised walnut shaped galleries above three glazed lockable doors opening to three columns of walnut fronted adjustable shelves and raised on plinth bases. The sides are profiled for skirting boards and all the original locks and keys are present. Note: These immensely practical pieces were increasingly sought after during the 19th century though this pair is unusually fine and executed in the best figured Walnut. It is not known whether this pair was originally intended as bookcases or display cabinets for a collection of possibly porcelain, glass or artefacts. Upper-class Victorian families were renowned for their extensive collections and passion for collecting. This pair would have been commissioned for quite a grand house, as they are more substantial than many.