Writing tables or writing desks were used in the library or personal study of the privileged homeowner.  The writing surface was covered with leather or beautiful wood, and these desks were designed with compartments for organizing and storing writing accessories, stationery and documents.  Some even had secret spaces, accessible via a hidden trigger mechanism.  Writing tables could also have side pieces that extended outwards to allow for increased workspace. 

 

The design style known as Louis XVI dates to the reign of King Louis XVI of France (1774-1792). The style appeared in architecture, furniture, decoration and art and rejected the elaborate ornate curves and frilly embellishments of the preceding Baroque period.  Louis XVI’s queen, Marie Antoinette, was instrumental in returning design focus to a style characterized by the elegance and of ancient Greek and Roman models, employing the use of ornate detail, precise shapes, light and refined color palettes, and symmetry.  The royal apartments in the palaces of Versailles, Fontainebleau, Tuileries, as well as other royal residences contain outstanding examples of these beautiful designs.   No expense was spared to create elegant, refined and expertly crafted wares produced by the master craftsmen of the period in this period just prior to the French Revolution. 

 

Kingwood is a dense, exotic type of rosewood that can be sourced from a very small region of Brazil. It is known for its striking violet-brown color and grain and is very expensive. Although there are antique pieces made from kingwood, it was almost exclusively used on inlays on very fine furniture. It has a bright luster, takes a nice polish and develops patina as it ages.

 

Gilt-bronze trim was used to protect furniture from damage and to emphasize form, and to mount beautiful objects such as candelabra, clocks, lamps, pedestals and porcelain vases.