Antique Rosewood and Marquetry Carlton House Desk, Early 20th Century

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Antique Rosewood and Marquetry Carlton House Desk, Early 20th Century

About the Item

This is a beautiful antique Edwardian rosewood and marquetry Carlton House desk in the manner of the renowned retailer and manufacturer Edwards & Roberts, circa 1900 in date. The desk is inlaid with a fabulous satinwood marquetry of ribbons, swags, bell flowers and swirls. The top is surmounted with a superstructure consisting of drawers and cupboards, over the original tan leather gold tooled writing surface, It is fitted with a central frieze drawer and is raised on four elegant tapering legs that terminate in their original brass square cup castors. The top has been lined with a fine quality tan leather inset with gilt-tooled decoration. One of the drawer fronts has the Edwards and Roberts impressed stamp. With working lock and original key. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 105 x width 106 x depth 60 Dimensions in inches: Height 41.3 x width 41.7 x depth 23.6 Rosewood is a rich warm reddish brown wood that has a distinct grain with dark brown and black outlining. One variety of Rosewood can vary significantly from another even though it is of the same species. These Rosewoods, native of India, South East Asia and Brazil, were dense and awkward to work with. It was renowned for quickly bluntening cutting tools and visibly darkening in colour when over prepared. The Brazilian species of Rosewood was by far the most beautifully figured and therefore it became the most sought after and rare. This was the wood of choice for the great box makers, David and Thomas Edwards who used it to veneer some of their finest pieces. Carlton House desk is a specific antique desk form within the more general bureau à gradin form. This specific form is supposed to have been designed in 1790s for the Prince of Wales (who later became George IV) by George Hepplewhite. It is named after Carlton House, which was at the time the London residence of the Prince of Wales. This kind of desk is sometimes also known as a Carlton House writing table. The desk is like a normal writing table but the small drawers above the surface form a "U" shape around the user instead of being merely set up in front of him as is usual in a typical bureau a gradin. Unlike other types of bureau a gradin the Carlton House desk usually offers no pigeonholes. There are usually small slopes over the two desktop drawers at the left and right ends of the "U" shape. Drawings of this type of desk were presented by Hepplewhite in his famous design book the Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide and by Thomas Sheraton in his own famous book of designs, The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book, thus ensuring its popularity.

Dimensions:
Height: 41.34 in (105 cm)Width: 41.74 in (106 cm)Depth: 23.63 in (60 cm)
Style:
Edwardian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Rosewood,Satinwood,Marquetry
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1900-1909
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1900
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 086301stDibs: LU950610079091