A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. Kingwood and ormolu bureau plat desk signed Sormani Paris. The desk is raised by elegant cabriole legs with beautiful wrap around foliate ormolu sabots with fine tied fluted... — Read More

A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. Kingwood and ormolu bureau plat desk signed Sormani Paris. The desk is raised by elegant cabriole legs with beautiful wrap around foliate ormolu sabots with fine tied fluted chutes leading to exquisite scrolled foliate corner mounts with lovely blooming flowers and beautiful richly chased maidens. The scalloped frieze is centered by one drawer decorated with a striking pierced scrolled foliate ormolu keyhole escutcheon with acanthus leaves, a blooming flower, and palmettes below a hammered wrap around mottled band also repeated at each side. The back is decorated in the same manner while each side displays a superb finely detailed mask of a handsome Bacchanalian gentleman framed within a similar hammered wrap around mottled band. Above is the stunning wonderfully executed parquetry top with a remarkable diamond shaped quarter veneered design framed within a beautiful veneered band and mottled wrap around ormolu border with superb foliate corner mounts. All original gilt throughout.

Paul Sormani (1817 – 1877) one of the most recognized 19th century French cabinet maker. Paul Sormani established his firm in 1847 at 7 Cimetière Saint-Nicolas in Paris. Sormani participated in major international exhibitions of 1855, 1862 and 1867. Awarded a bronze medal in 1849 and a first-class medal in 1855. At the Universal Exhibition of 1867, his work has been described as “A quality of workmanship of the highest order". — Read Less