French Kingwood Bureau
When you encounter a french kingwood bureau, you are looking at an opulent writing surface rooted in nineteenth-century revivalism.
French Kingwood Bureau
A french kingwood bureau encompasses various writing furniture styles, including freestanding bureau plat desks, compact bonheur du jour cabinets, and sloping secretaires.
The pieces appearing on this page span the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries, dominated by nineteenth-century revivals of Louis XV and Louis XVI aesthetics.
These writing pieces originated to serve domestic correspondence and display in elite European interiors, combining practical drawers with decorative surfaces.
Materials and Construction
Cabinet makers utilised dense kingwood veneers, frequently arranged in intricate parquetry or floral marquetry patterns across curved serpentine and bombay shapes.
Cast ormolu and gilt bronze mounts frame the edges, corners, and legs, often paired with inset leather writing surfaces and occasionally porcelain plaques.
Secret release catches hidden within the framework remind us that nineteenth-century correspondents guarded their letters fiercely.
Craftsmanship and Execution
Quality rests upon the precision of the timber veneer matching, the crispness of the chased ormolu mounts, and the fluidity of the hand-shaped wooden curves.
Renowned Parisian makers working during the nineteenth century achieved superior articulation in the locking mechanisms, internal drawer dovetailing, and overall structural harmony.
François Linke·Paul Sormani·Edwards and Roberts·CH Jeanselme and Co·Durand
The French Kingwood Bureau Glossary
- Kingwood
- A dense, heavily grained South American timber displaying rich violet and dark brown tones, frequently used for veneering fine cabinet furniture. It takes a high polish and forms the primary aesthetic base for these desks.
- Ormolu
- Gilt bronze mounts cast and chased by hand to ornament the corners, aprons, and legs of case furniture. This decorative metalwork provides contrast against the dark wood veneer.
- Bureau Plat
- A double-sided or freestanding writing table featuring drawers within the frieze and a flat top usually lined with leather. It is designed to sit away from the wall in the centre of a room.
- Bonheur du Du Jour
- A small, light ladies writing desk featuring a super-structure of small drawers, cupboards, or shelves above the main writing surface. These cabinets often incorporate porcelain plaques and delicate mounts.
- Marquetry
- The art of applying decorative veneer pieces in geometric parquetry or pictorial floral arrangements to wooden carcases. It requires precise cutting of contrasting timbers like kingwood, rosewood, and tulipwood.
French Kingwood Bureau: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bureau plat?
A bureau plat is a freestanding writing table designed to be viewed from all sides, typically featuring a leather-lined top and multiple frieze drawers.
These desks were traditionally placed in the centre of a study or salon rather than pushed against a wall.
What is a bonheur du jour?
A bonheur du jour is a small, elegant ladies writing cabinet featuring a raised tier of pigeonholes, drawers, or cupboards above the desk surface.
They appeared frequently during the nineteenth-century revival periods as decorative writing furniture for private boudoirs.
How should I care for kingwood veneer?
Kingwood veneer requires stable room humidity and protection from direct sunlight to prevent the timber from fading and the underlying glue from drying out.
Regular dusting with a dry cloth and occasional application of appropriate furniture wax maintains the polished surface.