I was looking for something else when I came upon this in the 1824 Ackermann's Repository. It's typical of some of the ingenious furniture of the time—"ornamental and useful."
The annexed plate represents an elegant cabinet dressing-case: it is formed of fine mahogany, and richly carved. The lower part incloses a drawer, with wash-bason, ewer, &c. complete. The upper part contains three mirrors, in sliding frames and running on centres, with sundry divisions and cases for small and large bottles; the whole forming an ornamental and useful piece of furniture, suitable for a dressing or sitting-room. We have been kindly permitted by Mr. Durham to copy this handsome piece of furniture at his manufactory, 26, Catherine-street, Strand.
One of us -- 
3 comments:
Now that is something! Looks more like a piano than a dressing table. Do you have any idea if this was considered a man's dressing table or could it have been used by a lady, too? Do you think a bench or chair could have slid under neath it?
Lovely, ingenious, made with care and quality. What we are stuck with these days is Ikea. So sad!
Looks to me like a ladies' cosmetic table, perfect place to hold all the lotions, potions, brushes etc, all the things necessary to apply the "face."
Those of us who have to buy Ikea now wouldn't have been able to afford something like this then either!
I have such a weakness for cunning things like that.
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