Writing desk - Wood, Brass

Desk or writing table, Art Deco, after Léon & Maurice Jallot, 40s, 50s - France

Exquisite, large-scale desk or writing table original to its period and in Art Deco style, following the design and work of Léon Jallot and his son Maurice. Made of black lacquered wood, with brass details and lucite knobs. The work surface is very spacious, offering great comfort. It features a central register at the top and two doors, which conceal a register and two shelves on each side. Ample storage capacity.

The designers of the new style moved away from the very recognizable curves of Art Nouveau, and geometry became the main protagonist, highlighting cubic, spherical shapes and straight lines. In the case of this desk with elegant lines, as is characteristic of Art Deco furniture, the structure is composed of straight lines, except for the small uprights attached at the front corners, where the small detail of the pair of brass edges ornamenting the top is also added.

The piece perfectly gathers all the most distinctive features of the style, such as the preference for dark tones, usually contrasted with metallic details, especially gold. Brushed finishes were also preferred, which is why woods were treated, enamelled, polished, lacquered… as in this case.

Léon & Maurice Jallot

Leon Jallot (1874-1967) is considered one of the most prominent French sculptors and cabinetmakers of the Art Deco era. He devoted himself to painting, ceramics, and furniture making, but it was the latter where he stood out the most. He studied in Paris, but did not attend an art school, and soon opened his own workshop. He was among the first Art Nouveau designers to move away from lush floral decoration and curved lines to pursue linearity, which caused his style to evolve into a more refined Art Deco. In 1921 he began collaborating with his son Maurice. Maurice (1900-1971) studied at the École Boulle, a renowned Paris art and design school, where he gained solid training in cabinetmaking and furniture design. Together they designed a wide variety of high-quality furniture. Léon retired in the 1940s, but his son continued the family business for another couple of decades.

About the Art Deco style

Art Deco, short for Arts Décoratifs in French, and sometimes simply called Déco, is a style of visual arts, architecture and product design that first appeared in France in the 1910s and flourished especially in the United States, but also in Europe, during the 1920s and 1930s. It combined modern styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. At its height, it represented luxury, glamour, exuberance and a belief in social and technological progress. From its inception, it was influenced by the bold geometric forms of Cubism and Vienna Secession; the vivid colors of Fauvism and the Russian Ballet; the updated craft of furniture from the Louis XVI and Louis Philippe eras; and the exotic styles of China, Japan, India, Persia, ancient Egypt and Maya art. It featured rare, costly materials such as ebony and ivory, and exquisite craftsmanship.

Dimensions: 76 x 178 x 100 cm.

Shipping costs include professional, custom-made packaging; and personalized shipping with tracking number and guarantee. DUE TO THE PIECE’S DIMENSIONS, SHIPPING PREFERABLY TO BE ARRANGED DIRECTLY WITH THE BUYER.