Fine French Late 19th Century Kingwood & Ormolu Mounted Bureau Plat / Writing Table in the Manner of Leon Message c.1890

Fine French Late 19th Century Kingwood and Ormolu Mounted Bureau Plat or Writing Table in the Manner of Leon Message c.1890 The piece is of complex double serpentine form and veneered throughout in kingwood, the veneers are laid to create a striking bookmatched effect moving from the centre of the frieze to the left and right in diagonal fashion. The top is banded in ormolu with a central inset writing leather top, which has gilt tooling around the outer edge. The frieze and apron are profusely mounted in ormolu, which continues down the legs and terminates in fine foot mounts (sabots). With single draw to ten frieze. The inspiration for this piece is a model of the 1720s Louis XV period and it seems likely that this present piece was also directly inspired by a design for a desk with cartonnier which was made by both Emmanuel Zwiener and Victor Boudet in the late 19th century (see Christopher Payne, Paris Furniture: The Luxury Market of the 19th Century, p.560). It was almost certainly made in Paris at the very end of the 19th century by one of the major firms in evidence in that period. Although not made by the Linke firm, the piece does have affinities with the work of Linke’s sculptor and designer Leon Message. We are very grateful to Christopher Payne for his input and assistance.