Lot 236
236
A RUSSIAN ORMOLU-MOUNTED KARELIAN-BIRCH PEDESTAL DESK, the rectangular top with green leather-lined writing-surface and moulded edge cast with flowerheads, the frieze with five variously-sized drawers mounted with ferocious birds and palmettes within beaded borders, the ends with simulated drawers with swagged putti mounts, the open pedestals with lyre fronts and on bun feet, some mounts lacking and some replaced

Details
A RUSSIAN ORMOLU-MOUNTED KARELIAN-BIRCH PEDESTAL DESK, the rectangular top with green leather-lined writing-surface and moulded edge cast with flowerheads, the frieze with five variously-sized drawers mounted with ferocious birds and palmettes within beaded borders, the ends with simulated drawers with swagged putti mounts, the open pedestals with lyre fronts and on bun feet, some mounts lacking and some replaced
49¼in. (125cm.) wide; 31in. (71cm.) high; 26¼in. (67cm.) deep

Lot Essay

The desk's plinth-supported pedestals are fitted with drawers above folio-compartments, that are concealed behind 'poetic' lyre-shaped pilasters with Apollo-masks emerging from acanthus-wrapped trusses. An Apollo-sunflower between palm-wrapped festive thyrsae embellishes the frieze, while the pedestal-drawers display chimerical-dragons emerging from Roman foliage in the 'antique' manner. Related ornament features on a lyre-pilastered table pattern, after the French Empire manner, illustrated in the Journal des Luxus und der Moden, Weimar, 1811

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