Antique 19th Century French and Italian Desks
19th Century French and Italian Desks 1800-1850
Dutch mahogany secretaire-a-abattant made in Empire style.
Consulat and Empire: The brief period (1799-1804) known by Napoleon’s title of Consul, marks transition between slightly anaemic, late-Louis XVI/ Directoire style and full-blooded grandeur of Empire (1804-15), created for Napoleon by Percier and Fontaine and simplified for bourgeoisie by Mesangere’s designs, serialized from 1802 to 1835 in a women’s magazine.
Writing-tables with curved X-supports, based on Graeco-Roman type, produced by Jacob-Desmalter and others, but favourite form of desk is secretaire-a-abattant, severely
architectural but enriched with mounts. Style persists into Louis Philippe period; heavy desks with columnar supports and sphinx mounts still being produced in 1840, by which time bonheur-du-jour type with superstructure of drawers, on end supports with cabriole feet, has become fashionable.
Flat-topped desks in Empire style made throughout Europe: French craftsmen brought to Italy, where Socchi of Florence makes ingenious writing-table with concealed chair that moves into position when mechanism is operated. In Spain, flat-topped desks made with carved swan supports in Fernandino style (version of Directoire/Empire). In Sweden, secretaires by Berg of Stockholm have Egyptian caryatids flanking writing-section.
In Denmark, the bureau-cabinet (chatol is principal living-room piece, accompanied by a sofa table – originally a writing-table with drop leaves at ends but also used with sofa for meals. This grouping common in Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Russia in Biedermeier period.
Russian walnut Empire pedestal desk with ormolu mounts.
Scandinavian mahogany table.
Biedermeier, about 1815-50: In its way, often eccentric, the fall-front secretaire is most interesting contribution of Biedermeier style to history of furniture design.
Conservative examples are rectilinear, with recessed, arched panels to exterior of fall and cupboard or drawers below; stepped superstructure above. Adventurous types about 1820-30, e.g. by Brandt and Beissner of Thuringia, are like nothing seen before or since: outline of whole structure inspired by lyre form – U-shape with rounded base resting on platform, and overhanging scrolled pediment. Sofa tables much nearer to English Regency type.
Much mahogany, but growing preference for pale woods – maple, birch, poplar – used in solid form for supports and as veneers on flush surfaces. Beech used for carved supports (e.g. swans) meant for gilding.
Bronze and brass for mounts, leather for insets of writing-surfaces.
Usually very strong and sound, using traditional joints (mortise-and-tenon, dovetail), in spite of disbandment of guilds in Paris, where work force in furniture trade numbers about 10,000. Factories in Paris, Vienna, Berlin use machines to assist hand work. secretaires either single carcase or desk section resting on stand with pillar supports; backs of carcases panelled. Biedermeier sofa tables were mounted on centre columns with platform bases, or on end supports.
Empire: Little marquetry, some carving but heavy reliance on gilt mounts (bronze or brass) using typical Empire motifs – anthemion, sphinx, caryatid, bee, imperial eagle, swan, trophy of arms, lyre. In some areas, carved and gilt wood was substituted for cast metal.
Biedermeier: Some Empire motifs, e.g. swan, sphinx, lyre, persist to mid-century. Architectural emphasis on columns and pilasters. Marquetry used discreetly in neatly confined patterns. Country-made versions of secretaire, especially in Alpine regions, have rural scenes on exterior of fall, inlaid into solid wood (as distinct from marquetry inlaying into veneer).
Veneers used extensively throughout period in cities, very seldom in country districts.
Empire; French polishing.
Biedermeier: Varnishing, waxing.
Simpler Empire or Biedermeier secretaires good value for money. Sofa tables on end supports usually command higher prices than centre column types.
Many secretaires made in late-19thC revival of Empire style; quality often poor – very thin veneers, poorly constructed drawers, tinny mounts, backs made of matchboard (tongue-and-grooved) instead of being panelled as in Napoleon I period.
DESKS About 1850-1890
Mahogany secretaire-a-abattant about 1860.
Chiefly remarkable for revivals, pastiches and direct copies, especially of Louis XIV bureau Mazarin, Louis XV/XVI bureau plat. English pedestal desk widely adopted as model for study and grand office; modest businessman more likely to have imported American roll-top (see NEW WORLD, p.317). For bourgeois homes, many variations of sloped bureau and bureau-cabinet.
Preponderance of mahogany, but walnut also popular, both used in solid form and as veneer. More prosaic types in oak.
Ever increasing use of machinery, but decline in quality, where it occurs, due more to price-
Bureau de dame in Louis XV style, about 1870.
cuttiing. Many desks still well-made with hand-cut dovetails for drawers. Copies of bureau plat, though stylistically lifeless, can be technically superior to 18thC originals.
Too much in many cases, e.g. boullework bureau plat with poor quality gilt metal mounts; ‘late Biedermeier’ bureau-cabinet with fretted pediment; machine-carved linen-fold panels for ‘Gothic’ partners’ desks.
Passion for high gloss finish, achieved by French polishing, reaches fever pitch.
Good copies of 18thC types expensive. Many opportunities in better quality, less ornate bureaux and bureau-cabinets.
VICTORIAN COPIES
Some 19thC copies of Louis XV bureau plat so good that expert advice is necessary. In general, quality high but decoration, especially marquetry, too fussy and lacking verve. Difference only becomes evident when eye has been trained by looking closely at numerous examples of both originals and copies.
spoke of former ski
nineteenth former cabinet in walnut
5 torchons fine linen
bronze baroque candlesticks candleholders 80328
antique miniature portrait princess lamballe
great wardrobe walnut empire time directory
round round table with 3
statue sculpture woman cut empty pocket planter
george iii mahogany and crossbanded
Tags: Antique, Biedermeier, Directoire, directoire style, Empire, furniture, furniture design, history of furniture, Italian, mahogany table, pedestal desk, Russia, secretaires, Vienna, walnut, writing tables