Antique Appraisal

We recently assisted a Toronto client seeking an insurance appraisal report for a family heirloom antique English secretary desk, in a very collected and sought after category known as 'Green Man' furniture.

Antique English 'Green Man' desk

Antique Appraisal - English Jacobean Revival carved oak slant front secretary desk, the sloped surface with interior drawers, including several with inner hidden posterior drawers,

pigeon holes and retractable inner writing surface for writing instruments and

supplies. Below the slope front portion are four storage drawers, decorated with deep relief

‘Green Man’ motif pulls and fronts, and standing on bracket feet. Circa 1850.

The overall condition of the desk is excellent, having been well taken care of over

the years and professionally maintained and cleaned.

Outer dimensions are approx. 36½” high, 27¾” wide, 16½” deep.

Antique English oak Green Man Desk - Carving Detail

“Green Man furniture” refers to pieces decorated with the Green Man motif — a stylized face

surrounded by or emerging from foliage. The Green Man itself is an architectural and decorative symbol dating back to medieval Europe, often interpreted as a sign of rebirth, nature, and the cycle of growth. This foliate head appears carved in stone and wood on churches and secular buildings from the 12th century onward and influenced decorative arts well beyond its origins. In furniture, the Green Man became especially popular during the Victorian era and Gothic Revival of the 19th century, when craftsmen carved oak pieces such as chairs, cabinets, and buffets with intricate grotesques and foliage heads honoring medieval styles. These motifs — often carved by hand into solid wood — reflected both the period’s fascination with nature and a romanticized view of history and craftsmanship.