Relevant categories: Desks,French Boulle Furniture
( Above Photo: French Empire Desk Marquetry Inlay Bureau Plat Writing Table )
French antique desks are great for decorating your home and improving functionality in your office. They come in various forms, from minimalist furniture pieces to more elaborate feature-full desks. When buying an antique French desk, you should consider its shape, size, and functionality.
The following are the various types of French antique desks existing on the market:
Pedestal Desks
Kneehole desks
Antique bureaus
French davenports
Writing tables
( Above Photo: Louis XVI Desk - French Bureau Du Roi Roll Top )
Of course, each of these French antique desks comes with unique features. However, once you have decided to buy a particular desk, how do you tell that it is, indeed, an antique. The following are some of the things you can look at:
When you go out to buy an antique French desk, don’t be in a hurry to buy the first item you come across. After all, you’re buying a precious antique. So why should you be in a hurry?
Before buying one, take time to assess your options, including the styles, maker marks, etc.. While it helps to visit a physical antique store, online stores are more convenient. However, touching and feeling a desk can build greater confidence.
( Above Photo: Empire Desk Satin Birch Inlay French Bureau )
French antique desks were made long before the invention of machines and focused on mass production. Therefore, the artisans paid attention to the furniture pieces, producing unique wares. Knowing whether or not a desk is an antique is possible by looking at the following:
Dovetail Joints: Furnituremakers used dovetail joints to create wares in the early days. That’s primarily where the drawer front connects with the sides. Just look for the characteristic triangular shapes. However, newer furniture pieces may not necessarily feature the dovetail joint.
Maker Labels or Marks: Since they were handcrafted, antique desks have unique maker labels or marks. With the maker mark, you can research and identify precisely when the desk was made. Regardless of the mark, a desk that looks too new should raise a red flag. You may ask for help from an experienced furniture appraiser if you can’t tell the difference between the marks.
Handcrafted Imperfections: Antique desks are like to have lots of imperfections since the artisans made them by hand. Common defects include asymmetries, irregular dovetail joints, or visible saw marks. Newer desks are most likely machine-make and free from any defects.
Antique French desks are likely to be highly decorated and embellished. Ancient furnituremakers sought to bring out the best from ordinary furniture pieces. For example, pedestal desks are likely to have front glazed cupboard doors, gold-plated drawer handles, and several motifs depending on the type it left the maker’s workshop. In that case, you need to be familiar with the types of decorations used during a particular historical epoch.
( Above Photo: French Ladies Desk Antique Bureau De Dame 1860 )
French antique desks are wonderful for decorating your home of functionality in your office. If you’re planning to buy one, don’t hesitate to call us. Our store has a variety of desks from which you can choose.
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