Writing table - Wood, Bronze

Prestigious Bonheur-du-jour desk from the Napoleon III era in Precious Woods and Inlaid Plaques

Extraordinary center-piece Bonheur-du-jour desk of the Napoleon III period, a superb expression of Parisian cabinetmaking in the late nineteenth century. The piece, coming from a prestigious historic residence, stands out for its exceptional constructive quality and its decorative apparatus of extreme refinement, typical of furnishings destined for the palaces of the aristocracy of the era.

The structure is entirely clad in precious veneers of exotic woods, with broad surfaces in walnut burl and bois de rose that create a chromatic contrast of great elegance. The piece is enriched by porcelain plaques inlaid in the stand, finely hand-painted with gallant scenes inspired by the eighteenth century and signed, protected by frames in gilt bronze. At the center of the stand’s elevation rises a niche decorated by a torch with a laurel crown in chiseled bronze, a symbol of victory and wisdom.

The writing surface, with its original gold-decorated leather insert, conceals a large under-top drawer that disappears. The ornamentation in gilt bronze is ubiquitous and of the highest level: from the female-statue caryatids adorning the upper uprights to the elegant sabot (shoe) that terminates the curved legs, every element has been chiseled with artisanal mastery. The slender silhouette and harmonious proportions render this writing desk a piece for a high-end collection, capable of dominating the room with its history and its unmistakable aura of nobility.