Neo-Renaissance Open Desk - Italy Late 19th century
Features
Style: Neo-Renaissance (1820-1890)
Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900
Origin: Italy
Main essence: Silver Fir , Beech , Walnut
Material: Carved Wood
Description
Neo-Renaissance open desk in walnut and beech, Italy, late 19th century. Front with 3 drawers, entirely carved with phytomorphic spirals, coats of arms and masks. Uprights decorated with a pair of telamons and a pair of caryatids in high relief, feral feet, interior in fir.
Product Condition:
Product that due to age and wear may require restoration and resumption of polishing.
Dimensions (cm):
Height: 79
Width: 140
Depth: 70
Additional Information
Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900
19th Century / 1801 - 1900 Main essence:
Silver Fir
Soft coniferous wood, used for rustic furniture or to build the chest, that is the structure, of furniture then veneered in more precious woods. It has been used since ancient times, its most valuable use is, in the Spruce variant, in the inlays of French antique furniture of the '700 . The spruce, more typical of northern Europe, in Italy grows mainly in the Eastern Alps at altitudes above 1300 m. The noblest use of this essence was in the construction of violins, guitars and cellos: Stradivari himself produced his famous violins with this wood.
Beech
It is a semi-hard wood which, unfortunately, is easily wormed, therefore it is considered poor. Due to its light but variegated shades, from blond to reddish, it was nevertheless appreciated by French cabinetmakers. It was mainly used for furniture structures or, as an alternative to walnut, by provincial English furniture makers for popular works, mostly in the 1700s. The noblest use is due to Thonèt, who applied the steam bending of the beech in the making of the furniture, in particular for the chairs that took his name.
Walnut
Walnut wood comes from the plant whose botanical name is juglans regia , probably originally from the East but very common in Europe. Light or dark brown in color, it is a hard wood with a beautiful grain, widely used in antique furniture. It was the main essence in Italy throughout the Renaissance and later had a good diffusion in Europe, especially in England, until the advent of mahogany. It was used for solid wood furniture and sometimes carvings and inlays, its only big limitation is that it suffers a lot from woodworm. In France it was widely used more than anything else in the provinces. In the second half of the eighteenth century its use decreased significantly because mahogany and other exotic woods were preferred.
Material: Carved Wood