The style of this small Napoleon III desk reproduces the curved forms in the spirit of Louis XV furniture.
The makers of Napoleon III furniture often drew inspiration from older styles (Louis XV, Louis XVI, and even Louis XIV with Boulle marquetry, brass inlays on a tortoiseshell background).
One particularity though is that we usually find furniture with contrasting veneers in tropical wood or in darkened wood (most often pear wood).
Another particularity shows a finish enhanced by the not inconsiderable use of bronze, which gives it a bit of a precious aspect that highlights the varnish .
Such is the case with this small desk in rosewood veneer with the framework and base in mahogany.
It is composed of a tier with two drawers to the back of the desk top and a shelf resting on a back panel and props enhanced with bronze.
My work involved revitalizing the old, blackened varnish, replacing the missing or bulging veneer and recouping the original gilding of the bronze.
However, despite an often irreproachable finish, the quality of the veneer used (sliced veneer) cannot compare to the richness of the furniture from the 18th century.
