This is a superb antique French ormolu and Sevres porcelain mounted king wood writing table, Circa 1780 in date.
It has been decorated with goncalo alves crossbanding, superb hand painted Sevres porcelain plaques and ormolu mounts. The top is fitted with a three quarter pierced brass gallery and the frieze is fitted with a useful drawer. The writing table is raised on elegant ormolu mounted cabriole legs.
Condition:
In really excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 74 cm x Width 81 cm x Depth 49 cm
Height 59 cm x Width 66 cm
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 foot, 5 inches x Width 2 foot, 8 inches x Depth 1 foot, 7 inches
Height 1 foot, 11 inches x Width 2 foot, 2 inches
King wood
is a classic furniture wood, almost exclusively used for inlays on very fine furniture. Occasionally it is used in the solid for small items and turned work, including p
...arts of billiard cues, e.g., those made by John Parris. It is brownish-purple with many fine darker stripes and occasional irregular swirls. Occasionally it contains pale streaks of a similar colour to sapwood.
The wood is very dense and hard and can be brought to a spectacular finish. it turns well but due to its density and hardness can be difficult to work with hand tools. It also has a tendency to blunt the tools due to its abrasive properties.
Gonçalo Alves is a hardwood (from the Portuguese name, Gonçalo Alves). It is sometimes referred to as tigerwood — a name that underscore the wood’s often dramatic, contrasting color scheme.
While the sapwood is very light in color, the heartwood is a sombre brown, with dark streaks that give it a unique look. The wood’s color deepens with exposure and age and even the plainer-looking wood has a natural luster.
Two species are usually listed as sources for gonçalo alves: Astronium fraxinifolium and Astronium graveolens, although other species in the genus may yield similar wood; the amount of striping that is present may vary.
In the high tropical forests of Central and South America, well-drained soils furnish nutrients for a variety of dense, durable hardwoods sought for maritime use, heavyconstruction, and furniture. The Spanish began harvesting in Latin American forests in the early 1500s to provide timber for boatbuilding and repair. By the early 1900s, however, steel ships had replaced wooden ones, and the interest in tropical forests by both Europeans and Americans shifted to appearance-grade woods for furniture.
Although history fails to provide us with a shopping list of species from either harvest period, it''s probable that the wood we know today as goncalo alves has always been sought. That''s because goncalo alves, considered one of the most beautiful of tropical woods, has a tough reputation, too. Strong and durable, it''s used for construction in its homeland and secondarily for fine furniture. Woodworkers elsewhere treasure the wood for decorative items and veneer accents.
Ormolu - Gilt Bronze (from French ''or moulu'', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as ''gilt bronze''.
The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.
After around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common mode
Internal Reference: 07094x
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1208516
Dateline of this antique is 18th Century
Height is 74cm (29.1inches)Width is 81cm (31.9inches)Depth is 49cm (19.3inches)
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