Very impressive, large antique French Louis XV style desk with an original tooled leather writing surface & fabulous gilt bronze mounts.

I would date it to around the 1890-1900 period & it’s in good original condition. It’s excellent quality with oak lined drawers & fine dovetails. The leather surface has loads of character with fine gold tooling in the middle & around the edge. This is surrounded with a gilt bronze rim & decorative corner mouldings. There are some amazing gilt bronze classical faces & other features all around this writing table right down to the feet & on all four sides.

The wood is predominately kingwood with what looks like amboyna panels on the drawer fronts, which are also inlaid & cross banded. The drawers also have gilt bronze handles & escutcheons, plus locks & keys.

Please enlarge all the images to see all the fine features & also to see the condition of the polish. This desk is large, although it’s hard to get an idea of the scale on images. It does have natural ageing to the polished surface, which goes with the natural ageing of the gilt bronze mounts. I like it as is, because it has character. It’s also meant to be viewed from both sides & wouldn’t look out of place in a palace.

Width – 66 inches, 168 cm
Depth – 34 inches, 87 cm
Height – 30 inches, 76 cm
Knee height – 23 inches, 59 cm