Description:
Item #: 11-161-0
PRETTY Vintage French Country Louis XV Secretary Desk
Comment:
This pretty little secretary desk would look great in that spot in your home!
Object: Secretary
Origin: France
Dimensions (inches:)
37.25H x 31.25W x 17.50D
Open 27.75D
Date: 1950
Condition:
GOOD
In overall good condition. Antique and vintage items by their very nature are used items and will show signs of normal wear due to age and use. As we define 'good condition' relative to the stated age of the piece, we would expect to see 'character marks' consistent with that age and could include nicks or dings on a piece of furniture, normal separation at joints in wood due to expansion and contraction over time, most locks functioning, most drawers and doors open or slide easily, some original trim may be missing, and there may be one or more splits in the wood due to age and use. If there has been a break in the marble, it has been repaired and the repair may be visible. There may be minor restoration that is visible. Chairs considered 'good condition' may have professional structural repairs but are considered to be structurally sound. These types of repairs may be visible upon close inspection. Upholstered items may show wear consistent with age and use and may need to be reupholstered. EuroLux Antiques makes no representation regarding the comfort or useability for the customer's particular application.
Item Specifics:
Shows normal wear and miscellaneous nicks, dings, and scratches due to age and use. There are stains on the top surface.
Material: Oak
Style: Louis XV
LOUIS XV AND THE ROCOCO REVIVAL STYLE
The nephew of Napoleon, Napoleon III (1852 - 1870), Emperor of the Second Empire, has the unusual distinction of being both the last monarch of France and the first President of the French Republic. Napoleon III married the beautiful Spanish Countess, Eug‚nie de Montijo, whose aristocratic extravagance in dress and jewels reflected her ornate personal taste in furniture and decorative arts, and influenced French furniture makers to reach back to the designs from the glorious court of Louis XV (1715 - 1774) at Versailles for inspiration, creating the Rococo Revival style.
The extreme level of exuberant extravagance that blossomed under the reign of Louis XV and his favorite mistress, Madame du Pompadour, is known as the Rococo style. The word Rococo is thought to be a combination of the French rocaille, or shell, and the Italian barocco, or Baroque style. The rounded extravagance of the Rococo Revival style, enormously popular in the 19th century, was based on the original 18th century style. Hallmarks of this style, also known as the Louis XV style, include detailed carvings of birds, flowers (especially roses) and leaves, fruit, and shells. Furniture overflowed with massive carvings and grandiose S and C curves. The cabriole leg, which means a knee leg with concave rounded ankle, was very popular and is also a trademark of the Louis XV style. Rosewood and walnut were popularly used in the Rococo Revival style, along with a great interest in white marble for vanities, nightstands, and parlor tables.
As the middle class rose in status and wealth with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, more people were able to afford furniture. This flattening of society in combination with technological advancements created a surge of furniture production. Improved transportation meant a greater variety of wood was available at lower costs. For the first time, furniture became accessible and affordable to the common man. From the 1830s to the end of the 19th century, furniture makers reached back to earlier historical styles, and reinterpreted them with a great deal of creativity and experimentation. Although machines were used to increase speed and productivity, most of the carvings were still done by hand. As furniture began to be created cooperatively in workshops, the practice of signing pieces (required by law from 1743 to 1789) was not as prevalent. Most French pieces from the 19th century do not have maker's marks or signatures.
Free Shipping:
This item will be shipped FREE within the Contiguous 48 United States via Greyhound Bus. Shipments via Greyhound generally take between 1-3 weeks, as they are shipped space available by Greyhound Package Express. If this timeframe exceeds your expectations or shipping requirements, please do not bid on or purchase this item. Shipments made via Greyhound Bus measure less than (inches) 30 x 47 x 84 and weigh less than 100 lbs per box. Shipments using Greyhound will require the customer to pick up the piece at their nearest Greyhound Bus Station. Please be sure that you are willing to pick the item up at the nearest Greyhound Station, as the nearest Greyhound Station may be a considerable distance from your home. Items not picked up at the Greyhound Bus Station within 48 hours after arrival may be subject to a storage fee, which varies from station to station. EuroLux Antiques will be happy to help you locate the nearest Greyhound Station. All shipments include Insurance. Some Greyhound stations have home delivery available for an additional fee. Please inquire about courier availability in your area.
Special Message: Because EuroLuxAntiques maintains its own website and lists on other online sites, while also operating a physical store location in Newberry, South Carolina, we reserve the right to end any listing early if it has not been purchased outright or no bids have been placed upon the item. On occasion, a piece listed on a website may no longer be available. We do our best to maintain the accuracy of our inventory records but we often have customers interested in the same item at the same time. In those cases, we defer to the customer who placed the earlier order. We apologize in advance by any inconvenience this may cause. Because of this, we encourage all of our buyers to purchase the item as quickly as possible so that your treasured find doesn't sell elsewhere to someone else. Happy browsing and thanks! Aimee & Greg Talbot at EuroLuxAntiques
Additional Pictures:
In many cases, EuroLux Antiques has many more pictures of our items than this website allows us to place in our descriptions. If you are interested in seeing these additional pictures, please email or call us and we would be happy to send the pictures to you if they are available.