Hard to date, but probably circa 1700, this very rare walnut folding book rest would have required considerable skill from the cabinet maker to engineer as it was made from a single board which was cut down the centre and the hinge was contrived from the solid. See Chinnery pages 332 and 333 for examples and discussion. The rest itself has an attractive scalloped edge and it has a fretted crest and shaped feet. It was recently acquired from a private collection where it stood in the library with an alabaster plaque on it (see stock number 10780) and clearly it must have been partly in the sun as one can see the shadow on the rest where it stood. Lovely untouched colour. It measures 13 1/2 inches high when open and is 12 inches wide.
Ref: 10779
SOLDLooking for something similar?