Antique Edwards & Roberts Marquetry Bonheur Du Jour Ladies Writing Desk

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Antique Edwards & Roberts Marquetry Bonheur Du Jour Ladies Writing Desk

About the Item

This is a gorgeous antique burr walnut, marquetry inlaid and ormolu-mounted Bonheur Du Jour or ladies writing desk, circa 1870 in date and bearing the maker stamp of the renowned London cabinet maker and retailer Edwards & Roberts. This splendid Bonheur du jour comprises a pair of cupboard doors which open to reveal a beautifully finished walnut interior with a shelf and two short drawers below. It has a useful frieze drawer fitted with a writing slide that retains its original inset bold tooled leather writing surface. The desk features fabulous gilded ormolu mounts with contrasting satinwood marquetry inlaid decoration. The desk graciously stands on elegant cabriole legs with stunning ormolu mounts and is complete with working locks and original key. This is an example of superb quality and design. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 134 x width 83.5 x depth 60 Dimensions in inches: Height 52.8 x width 32.9 x depth 23.6 Edwards & Roberts The firm Edwards & Roberts was one of the best English antique furniture cabinet makers of the second half of the 18th century. The company was founded in 1845 and by 1854 was trading as ‘Edwards & Roberts’, 21 Wardour Street, antique and modern cabinet makers and Importers of Ancient Furniture’. By 1892 they occupied more than a dozen buildings in Wardour Street, where they continued to trade until the end of the century. They became one of the leading London cabinet makers and retailers producing high quality furniture and working in a variety of styles, both modern and revivalist. Their business also involved retailing, adapting and restoring the finest antique furniture and there are many examples of their earlier furniture with later embellishments bearing their stamp. The quality of timber used was always the best quality with fine burr walnuts, finely figured mahogany and lighter toned satinwood as they specialised in marquetry, inlay and ormolu. Marquetry is decorative artistry where pieces of material (such as wood, mother of pearl, pewter, brass silver or shell) of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers. The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, called opere di commessi, has medieval parallels in Central Italian "Cosmati"-work of inlaid marble floors, altars and columns. The technique is known in English as Pietra Dura, for the "hardstones" used: onyx, jasper, cornelian, lapis lazuli and colored marbles. In Florence, the Chapel of the Medici at San Lorenzo is completely covered in a colored marble facing using this demanding jig-sawn technique. Techniques of wood marquetry were developed in Antwerp and other Flemish centers of luxury cabinet-making during the early 16th century. The craft was imported full-blown to France after the mid-17th century, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury being made at the royal manufactory of the Gobelins, charged with providing furnishings to decorate Versailles and the other royal residences of Louis XIV. Early masters of French marquetry were the Fleming Pierre Golle and his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, who founded a dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers (ébénistes) and gave his name to a technique of marquetry employing shell and brass with pewter in arabesque or intricately foliate designs.

Creator:
Edwards & Roberts (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 52.76 in (134 cm)Width: 32.88 in (83.5 cm)Depth: 23.63 in (60 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Leather,Ormolu,Satinwood,Walnut,Marquetry
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1870-1879
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1870
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 097771stDibs: LU950616013131