Object Description
Antique French Louis XV style ormolu mounted marquetry desk by Maison Léger
French, c. 1880
Height 80cm, width 185cm, depth 98cm
This very impressive desk was crafted around 1880 by Maison Léger who was an award-winning French firm of cabinetmakers. Its design is based on the famous 18th century bureau du Roi (‘King’s Desk’) crafted for Louis V by Jean-Henri Riesener (1734–1806) and Jean-François Oeben (1721–1763).
A golden-brown leather lines the desktop. The edges and central panel are debossed and gilded, the shining gold superbly matching the ormolu features. A glass panel covers the desktop whilst also protecting the superb leather surface.
All four sides of this fine desk are decorated with skilfully executed marquetry panels. The French craftsmen chose a beautiful selection of wood types ensuring that the compositions are easily recognisable. The front of the piece features a large central drawer flanked by two smaller ones. In the middle is a very ornate ormolu escutcheon and surrounding it are very detailed marquetry panels. The side drawers are also lockable, and the topics of the marquetry panels relate to music and the military. The reverse of the desk is decorated in a very similar manner, but the marquetry designs slightly differ.
Large maritime and landscape marquetry compositions adorn the sides of the desk. Ormolu garlands filled with foliage such as acanthus leaves are mounted in front of the panels. The four corners of the desk are mounted with ormolu hanging lion skins and the legs terminate in acanthus-shaped sabots.
The lock of the central drawer is inscribed ‘Maison Léger / 28, Place des Vosges, Paris’.
The all-around decoration is often only seen on pieces of the highest quality, such as this desk in Mayfair Gallery’s collection. Its superb design and interesting history with links to pieces made for King Louis V make the desk a very desirable addition to one’s collection.