Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century

Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 1
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 2
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 3
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 4
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 5
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 6
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 7
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 8
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 9
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 10
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 11
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 12
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 13
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 14
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 15
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 16
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 17
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 18
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 19
Biedermeir oak desk, late 19th century 20

Sold

SILVER Seller in Prato, Italy

Item description

Biedermeier style fine oak writing desk. The rectangular top is well proportioned; below there is a drawer with inner dividers equipped with a lock with key and the whole is supported by two elegant and solid supports in the shape of a stylized lyre, separated from each other by a massive footrest that fits perpendicularly with two sturdy structures that firmly hold up the desk with four support points. The worn look of the inside of the drawer is very interesting, with stains of various kinds but mainly of old ink; this leads us to think and imagine which and how many people took turns using the desk. Our fantasies were subsequently confirmed by the antique dealer from whom we bought it at his shop in Bourg-en-Brasse (ancient French commune, capital of the Ain department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region); the antiquarian assured us that the desk was made between 1870 and 1880 by a carpentry shop in the area, which closed in 1932, and was used in the laboratory of the village pharmacy, which is one of the oldest pharmacies in France as it was founded in 1782. Right in the south wing of this imposing and ancient building was the laboratory where the apothecaries prepared infusions, decoctions and other medicinal remedies for years and whose recipes were probably written on this desk. The antiquarian took possession of it several years ago, when the pharmacy was transformed into a hotel-museum (see photo) and abandoned part of the furnishings. This desk, rich in history, is aesthetically a sober and harmonious piece of furniture, in which the taste for curved lines, typical of the Biedermeier style, is emphasized to the maximum. The object is in good condition, no restoration has been carried out to maintain the beautiful patina which attests to its antiquity and authenticity.

ID: 4672-1677747769-57618

Item details

Brown

Color

Wood

Material

Good

Condition

French

Origin

before1900

Time period

Item sizes

73 cm

Height

68 cm

Width

48 cm

Depth


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