Object Description
This is a fine antique French gilt-bronze mounted flame mahogany Empire bureau plat, Circa 1820 in date.
The rectangular top is fitted with a black gold-tooled inset leather writing surface, the frieze with five spacious drawers. The desk features finely cast ormolu mounts in the classic Empire style including Egyptian revival masks hemion, palmette mounts, trailing ribbon and escutcheons.
The desk is raised on four square section tapering legs standing on square gilded lion’s paw sabots.
The desk is free standing, finished all round, it can stand freely in the centre of a room and is sure to get lots of attention wherever it is placed.
Complete with original working locks and keys.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished, waxed and releathered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 75 cm x Width 150 cm x Depth 86 cm
Height 62 cm – Knee Height
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 foot, 5 inches x Width 4 foot, 11 inches x Depth 2 foot, 10 inches
Height 2 foot – Knee Height
Ormolu – (from French ‘or moulu’, signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as ‘gilt bronze’.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
After around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt.
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: A5249a