Writing slope - red marble - Office writing desk
06
days
22
hours
15
minutes
48
seconds
Current bid
€ 257
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Constance Rousseau
Master marquetry craftswoman with 4 years' expert experience. Trainee auctioneer at Sotheby's Paris.
Estimate € 550 - € 700
 | €257 |
|---|
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Desk escritoire in gilt and patinated bronze with a red-veined white marble base, dating to 1850–1900, featuring a double inkwell and an antique bust, with dimensions 28 cm high, 38 cm wide, 24 cm deep.
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Description from the seller
Double inkwell writing desk surmounted by an antique bust
France, 19th century
Napoléon III, circa 1860–1880
Gilded and patinated bronze, red veined white marble
Dimensions: H. 28 × L. 38 × D. 24 cm
This substantial desk, with double inkwells and an antique bust on top, stands as a fine example of 19th-century French historicist taste, blending a rich rocaille vocabulary with evocation of classical Antiquity.
The composition, perfectly symmetrical, centers on an antique bust crowned with a laurel wreath and clothed in a voluminous draped garment. The idealized face, with a slightly raised gaze, and the treatment of the curls and folds of the garment follow the neoclassical tradition inherited from Greco-Roman statuary. The laurel crown could evoke a muse, an allegory of the Arts or Poetry, rather than a precisely identifiable character.
The bust rests on an imposing bronze architectural base adorned with scrolls, acanthus leaves, shells and arabesques, whose generous curves recall the Louis XV repertoire and its 19th-century interpretation. On either side sit two covered inkwells, treated as a pair. Their bulging bellies and lids topped with a knop reuse the same ornamental vocabulary and contribute to the monumental balance of the whole.
The lower part forms a wide writing surface for writing instruments. Its undulating edge is emphasized by moldings, while a finely engraved decoration animates its surface discreetly. The whole rests on a spectacular red marble base heavily veined with white, cut to follow the contours of the mounting. The contrast between the polychrome mineral material and the warm tones of the bronze enhances the luxurious character of the object.
Designed as much as a functional object as a decorative sculpture, this writing desk testifies to the importance accorded to office accessories in bourgeois and aristocratic interiors of the 19th century. Its elaborate architecture and its combination of Rocaille and Classical references make it a representative object of the eclectism of French decorative arts of this period.
Condition: patination and surface wear compatible with age and use; small chips on marble. Small traces of oxidation on the bronze.
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Seller's Story
Kanaka The Collection is a Portugal-based web gallery specialising in Asian art, with a particular focus on the arts of Southeast Asia.
With over 20 years of experience and passion for Asian art, we offer a carefully curated selection of sculptures, ceramics and works of art from across Asia, chosen for their artistic quality, authenticity and historical interest.
Every piece is professionally packed, and we ship worldwide to collectors and institutions.
We remain personally available to collectors before and after each acquisition.
Translated by Google TranslateDouble inkwell writing desk surmounted by an antique bust
France, 19th century
Napoléon III, circa 1860–1880
Gilded and patinated bronze, red veined white marble
Dimensions: H. 28 × L. 38 × D. 24 cm
This substantial desk, with double inkwells and an antique bust on top, stands as a fine example of 19th-century French historicist taste, blending a rich rocaille vocabulary with evocation of classical Antiquity.
The composition, perfectly symmetrical, centers on an antique bust crowned with a laurel wreath and clothed in a voluminous draped garment. The idealized face, with a slightly raised gaze, and the treatment of the curls and folds of the garment follow the neoclassical tradition inherited from Greco-Roman statuary. The laurel crown could evoke a muse, an allegory of the Arts or Poetry, rather than a precisely identifiable character.
The bust rests on an imposing bronze architectural base adorned with scrolls, acanthus leaves, shells and arabesques, whose generous curves recall the Louis XV repertoire and its 19th-century interpretation. On either side sit two covered inkwells, treated as a pair. Their bulging bellies and lids topped with a knop reuse the same ornamental vocabulary and contribute to the monumental balance of the whole.
The lower part forms a wide writing surface for writing instruments. Its undulating edge is emphasized by moldings, while a finely engraved decoration animates its surface discreetly. The whole rests on a spectacular red marble base heavily veined with white, cut to follow the contours of the mounting. The contrast between the polychrome mineral material and the warm tones of the bronze enhances the luxurious character of the object.
Designed as much as a functional object as a decorative sculpture, this writing desk testifies to the importance accorded to office accessories in bourgeois and aristocratic interiors of the 19th century. Its elaborate architecture and its combination of Rocaille and Classical references make it a representative object of the eclectism of French decorative arts of this period.
Condition: patination and surface wear compatible with age and use; small chips on marble. Small traces of oxidation on the bronze.
Sent with UPS
Seller's Story
Kanaka The Collection is a Portugal-based web gallery specialising in Asian art, with a particular focus on the arts of Southeast Asia.
With over 20 years of experience and passion for Asian art, we offer a carefully curated selection of sculptures, ceramics and works of art from across Asia, chosen for their artistic quality, authenticity and historical interest.
Every piece is professionally packed, and we ship worldwide to collectors and institutions.
We remain personally available to collectors before and after each acquisition.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Era
1400-1900
Marble type
red marble
Title additional information
Office writing desk
Number of objects
1
Country of origin
France
Material
Bronze, Marble
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
28 cm
Width
38 cm
Depth
24 cm
Estimated period
1850-1900
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