Webberley Antiques has dated this piece to the Victorian era.
The drawer front with a fine ebony strung crossbanded border inlaid with kingwood.
The fall, table top, desk top and upstand all with matching kingwood and ebony crossbanded inlaid borders, as is the wide stretcher conjoining the legs.
The drawer linings are solid mahogany with original and very slender solid mahogany sectioned compartments, each delicately v jointed with curved finished tops. The tapered legs and stretchers are boxwood and ebony strung. All set on four original small brass casters.
The fall opens with original lock using the same key. The interior is finely lined with mahogany boards to form pockets and pigeon holes with a black leather skiver with gold tooled border in excellent condition.
With this elegant linear interior it is very well suited to ipads, laptops, phones etc. Small and compact, it is the perfect elegant work desk for any room.
The drawer is stamped Maple & Co.
This lovely desk demonstrates all the fine detailing, high quality and superior craftsmanship for which Maple was renowned. In excellent condition with only minor dings and marks consistent with age and careful and caring use.
Bonheur du Jour means ‘good hour of the day’ and desks like this became very popular amongst the well to do in the Victorian era – to spend a lovely hour writing a letter to a friend or corresponding with family. It was the height of fashion for a woman to own such a personal and fine piece of furniture, it demonstrated to all who saw it the owner’s literacy and wealth and a lifestyle which afforded time for correspondence and study.
Dimensions are:
24 inches wide, 15.5 inches deep and 46.5 inches high.
From floor to the top surface is 28 inches and to the frieze is 23 inches.
For metric please multiply by 2.5
Webberley Antiques has dated this piece to the Victorian era.
Specialists in 18th century and earlier furniture for more than 45 years
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Webberley Antiques Profile Page
Victorian Maple & Co Satinwood Bonheur Du Jour C. 1890
