Period French Empire Fall Front Desk from Wildercliff Estate of Grayson Hall

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Period French Empire Fall Front Desk from Wildercliff Estate of Grayson Hall

About the Item

This fine mahogany fall front desk comes from France and is period empire, circa 1810. Crafted as a small three-drawer commode with a fall front superstructure the whole decorated with very fine gilded bronze mounts and finished off by a white marble top. The desk section houses three small drawers as well as five cubicles for book or papers. The desks writing surface is covered in a rich dark brown leather. The piece has two keys the lower key original the upper desk key a replacement that does not work the lock. Until seeing this piece we had not seen this form before but have since found several examples produced by important cabinet makers such as Jacob. For a nearly identical example see the French published book Aujourd' Hui S'Installer En, specifically the Directoire, Empire Edition page 67. This series of books published in France in the late 1980's was designed to illustrate and instruct interior decoration for current projects in the correct French placement and understanding of the style and forms of importance in the French decorative arts. This page details a room designed by Serge Royaux containing the Beau Secrataire d' Acajou. This specific desk is pictured (page 80) in Architectural Digests issue for January 1983. The article features Wildercliff, the Hudson Valley Federal home belonging to Sam & Grayson Hall, designed by Harrison Cultra. The Halls are best remembered as the creators and actors in the TV series Dark Shadows. Grayson Hall was also well associated with Broadway performances and stage acting roles covering a large time span. The desk has been completely restored and has a new French polish. Included with this desk is a vintage copy of the Architectural Digest issue in which it is pictured. An additional dimension the desk in the open position is 33 inched deep giving a deep and conformable writing surface were a laptop might be used. Condition Disclosure: While we do our best to carefully inspect and give a full report on the condition of any item we sell, pointing out any repairs or alterations that may have been done to the best of our knowledge, as is the case with any antique and vintage item, there is a possibility that at some point in the life of the piece that there may have been damaged which has been professionally repaired and as such a repair undetectable, it is therefore impossible for us to disclose... we recommend that you also read and agree to the 1st dibs user agreement, particularly sections 9,13,15,18,19 and 27

Dimensions:
Height: 61.75 in (156.85 cm)Width: 43.5 in (110.49 cm)Depth: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)
Style:
Empire (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze,Carrara Marble,Mahogany,Carved,Gilt,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Early 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1810
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading. The desk has several structural repairs but is intact ready to use and almost completely original thruout.
Seller Location:
Hudson, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU81134509493