A fine French Louis XV–style bureau plat of late 19th-century date, executed in richly figured mahogany and richly mounted with gilt bronze. The rectangular top is inset with a hand-tooled green leather writing surface, decorated with a gilt foliate border and central diamond motif, and framed by crossbanded mahogany within a molded ormolu edge.
The shaped frieze to the front houses three drawers with gently serpentine outlines, each fitted with ornate Rococo-style gilt bronze handles and escutcheons. The reverse is designed with corresponding faux drawer fronts, applied with matching ormolu mounts and centred by a decorative cartouche, enabling the desk to be placed freestanding while maintaining a fully finished presentation on all sides.
Finely cast gilt bronze mounts enrich each corner and descend into elegant cabriole legs, applied with scrolling foliate ormolu ornament and terminating in shaped sabots. The mounts are crisply chased and retain a warm gilded surface that contrasts attractively with the depth and figuring of the mahogany veneers. The drawer interiors are traditionally finished in oak and run smoothly.
Exemplifying the fluid lines and refined asymmetry associated with the Louis XV Rococo aesthetic, this bureau plat balances decorative richness with practical functionality.
Dimensions
Height: 30.5 inches – 77cm
Kneehole height: 23 inches – 58cm
Width: 55 inches – 140cm
Depth: 32 inches – 81cm
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