1960s Teak Secretary Bureau — Jentique Furniture, England
The eclipse-shaped handles are the giveaway — that distinctively sculpted teak pull, paired with clean Scandinavian-influenced lines, marks this compact bureau immediately as a piece of Jentique's most desirable mid-century output.
Founded in Norfolk by Geoffrey Bowman Jenkins in the 1930s, Jentique became one of Britain's most celebrated producers of Scandinavian-inspired furniture, thriving through the 1950s and 60s on the strength of its graceful proportions and exceptional craftsmanship. The bureau form was among the company's most refined — functional without compromise, and quietly elegant in any room.
This example features a fold-down hinged writing surface supported by brass stays, revealing an organised interior of pigeonholes and two pull-out drawers. Below, a single full-width drawer sits above a double-door cupboard with a fixed shelf — generous storage for a piece of such compact footprint. The four tapered legs retain their original adjustable brass feet.
Maker Profile — Jentique Furniture Ltd (England)
Jentique was founded in the 1930s in Dereham, Norfolk, by Geoffrey Bowman Jenkins and his wife Edith. Before furniture, Jenkins was a toymaker — in 1932 he designed a water-driven hydraulic toothbrush, the 'Kavor,' which proved too expensive and complicated to find a market. His gramophones fared far better, and their success led him into furniture-making. Jenkins lost control of the company in 1936 to his business partner Bernard Smart, better known as the owner of Metamec clocks.
During the late 1950s and 1960s, Jentique capitalised on Britain's growing appetite for the clean, functional aesthetic of Danish modernism, producing a range of teak furniture that combined thoughtful proportions, practical layouts, and solid craftsmanship.
While not designer-led in the manner of their Scandinavian contemporaries, Jentique pieces are recognised for their understated elegance and enduring build quality. Today, Jentique furniture is increasingly appreciated by collectors and interior enthusiasts.
