Antique Victorian Walnut Writing Desk by Nosotti c.1880

An exceptional late Victorian kneehole walnut writing table by Charles Nosotti, a respected London cabinetmaker known for finely crafted furniture, with a reputation for high-end bespoke pieces. Finely proportioned and expertly constructed, the desk features a beautifully worn original tooled leather inset top, set in front of a raised arrangement of small drawers, two to each side, joined by a central shelf and finished with elegant brass gallery rails. The lower section features a central frieze drawer flanked by raised pedestal-style ends, each with a single deep drawer stylised as two, all oak-lined with moulded fronts and fitted with original brass drop handles. The desk is raised on eight slender, turned and fluted legs, all terminating in original brass and ceramic castors. The locks throughout are stamped “Hobbs & Co. London” and “Nosotti London” — a highly unusual instance of dual stamping. Hobbs & Co. were among the most respected Victorian lockmakers, known for supplying precision hardware to leading cabinetmakers. In this case, it appears Nosotti sourced locks directly from Hobbs and had his firm’s name included in the stamping, a rare and distinctive detail not commonly seen on other surviving pieces. This strongly supports the desk’s status as a high-quality, possibly bespoke commission made in Nosotti’s London workshop and fitted with premium hardware. Elegant, practical and compact in scale, the desk offers generous storage and a substantial writing surface without the visual weight of larger pieces. Presented in very good antique condition with a warm aged patina and light surface wear, including a leather writing surface beautifully patinated and attractively time worn. Structurally sound and ready to place in the home. Supplied with one original working key for all locks. English, circa 1880