French Porcelain Mounted Desk
These french porcelain mounted desk pieces combine rich timbers and painted plaques, bringing continental elegance into a study.
French Porcelain Mounted Desk
A french porcelain mounted desk typically manifests as a bonheur du jour, writing table, or bureau plat produced during the nineteenth century. These pieces serve as refined writing surfaces and small cabinets, often incorporating porcelain plaques into their wooden frames.
Most examples originate from the Victorian era and the later decades of the nineteenth century, drawing heavily on earlier Louis styles. Smaller writing desks and ladies cabinets dominate the forms, frequently paired with gilt bronze mounts.
Makers utilised various exotic timbers to construct the carcase before applying decorative mounts and hand-painted ceramic panels. Buyers encounter pieces ranging from simple writing tables to elaborate desks fitted with tiers and drawers.
Evaluating the pieces
Quality rests primarily on the crispness of the ormolu casting and the artistic merit of the painted porcelain plaques. Finer desks feature heavily chiselled bronze mounts and finely detailed ceramic panels with hand-painted subjects.
The choice and execution of the timber veneer also dictate the standing of a desk, with quarter-matched kingwood and intricate marquetry marking out superior examples. Heavier timber construction and robust internal drawer joinery further distinguish the finer pieces on the market.
Listings feature multiple nineteenth century writing desks incorporating kingwood, ormolu, and hand-painted porcelain plaques.
Robert Strachan and Co
The French Porcelain Mounted Desk Glossary
- Bonheur du jour
- A small ladies writing desk featuring a raised cabinet or tier of small drawers above the main writing surface. This form gained immense popularity during the nineteenth century revival periods.
- Ormolu
- Gilded bronze used extensively for decorative mounts, feet, and gallery rails on nineteenth century furniture. The technique involves applying a gold amalgam to a bronze base.
- Bureau plat
- A flat-topped writing table fitted with one or more drawers in the frieze. These pieces are finished on all sides to allow placement in the centre of a room.
- Sevres style
- A term describing porcelain painted in imitation of the famous French factory, often featuring turquoise or blue grounds with gilded reserves. Such plaques are frequently inset into nineteenth century furniture.
French Porcelain Mounted Desk: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bonheur du jour?
A bonheur du jour is a small, light writing desk featuring a tiered cabinet superstructure above the main desk surface. These pieces were designed specifically for correspondence and light reading.
Cabinetmakers built them to sit away from the wall, finished on all sides with fine timber veneers and decorative porcelain plaques.
How do I care for kingwood and ormolu?
Kingwood furniture requires regular dusting with a dry, soft cloth and protection from direct sunlight to prevent fading. Avoid using harsh chemical polishes that can degrade the delicate timber finish.
Ormolu mounts should be cleaned very gently without abrasive materials to preserve the original fire gilding. Professional conservation is recommended for any loose metal mounts or lifting veneer.
Are these desks suitable for daily use?
Most of these antique writing desks function well for modern laptop use or letter writing, provided they are treated with care. Their historical timber surfaces and inset porcelain panels require gentle handling.
Many buyers place them in studies or drawing rooms as focal points that still retain practical workspace. Care must be taken not to overload the smaller writing drawers or expose the antique veneer to moisture.
How do I identify nineteenth century revival styles?
Nineteenth century revival pieces borrow heavily from Louis XV and Louis XVI aesthetics, incorporating asymmetric curves or restrained neoclassical symmetry. The presence of machine-finished elements or nineteenth-century lock mechanisms often distinguishes them from older originals.
Makers combined traditional timber marquetry with contemporary casting techniques to recreate the opulent look of the French court for Victorian drawing rooms.