Antique French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Desk C1880 19th Century

This is an exquisite French Empire Revival pedestal desk, Circa 1880 in date.

This desk has been beautifully crafted from flame mahogany. The top has a striking gold tooled black leather inset writing surface which has a decorative geometric inlaid satinwood and ebony border around it..

It features beautifully cast gilded ormolu mounts including angels, pharaonic herms above paw feet and swan escutcheons. It is further enhanced with male masks wearing nemes headress's on the sides, making it an incredibly imposing and impressive item of furniture.

The desk features seven drawers for maximum storage, it is freestanding with a beautifully panelled back and comes complete with the original working locks and keys.

This desk will soon become the centrepiece of your furniture collection, there is no mistaking the sophisticated quality and design and it is certain to enhance the style and elegance of any living area, bedroom, or reception.

Condition:

In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, French polished, waxed and releathered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 76 x Width 150 x Depth 80

Dimensions in inches:

Height 29.9 x Width 59.1 x Depth 31.5

Empire style,

is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830.

The style originated in and takes its name from the rule of Napoleon I in the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Federal style in the United States and to the Regency style in Britain. The previous style was called Louis XVI style, in France.

The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire. It is the second phase of neoclassicism which is also called "Directoire", after a goverment system.

Furniture typically had symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires.

The furniture was made from heavy woods such as mahogany and ebony, imported from the colonies, with dark finishes often with decorative bronze mounts. Marble tops were popular as were Egyptian motifs like sphinxes, griffins, urns and eagles and the Napoleonic symbols, the eagle, the bee, the initials "I" and a large "N."

Gilded bronze (ormolu) details displayed a high level of craftsmanship.

Flame Mahogany

Thomas Sheraton - 18th century furniture designer, once characterized mahogany as "best suited to furniture where strength is demanded as well as a wood that works up easily, has a beautiful figure and polishes so well that it is an ornament to any room in which it may be placed." Matching his words to his work, Sheraton designed much mahogany furniture. The qualities that impressed Sheraton are particularly evident in a distinctive pattern of wood called "flame mahogany."

The flame figure in the wood is revealed by slicing through the face of the branch at the point where it joins another element of the tree.

Our reference: A1114

Internal Ref:

A1114

Date of manufacture : 19th Century