PROVINCIAL EIGHT-LEGGED "MAZARIN" PEDESTAL DESK IN BLACK PAINT
France, circa last quarter of the 18th century
Item # 403ZLJ18Q
An
absolutely stunning eight-legged "Mazarin" pedestal desk in early black
paint, the desk features a pair of drawers in either pedestal flanking a
single broader central drawer. It is a picture of austerity, completely
devoid of any carving or surface embellishment - it was designed with
only keyhole escutcheons for the drawers so that the form would not be
distracted by pulls. The black painted surface would allow the desk to
entirely disappear except that the ravages of time have decorated the
desk with the most magnificent patina - the black ranges from a silky
and waxy translucent surface to utter pitch in matte texture as
oxidization of the paints are opposed by two hundred and fifty years of
rubbing and handling.
The drawers are hand dovetailed in the
typical rustic manner of the Provincial carpenters. The total form is
raised on eight of the most unusual legs that almost depict the calf of a
leg as opposed to the knee of a leg found in most forms, the cupid's
bow of the apron first contracting in at the top of the leg, swelling to
create a "calf" and then pulling in a sharp taper to the toes.
An absolute strikepoint piece. Ready to place despite the lengthy condition notes.
Measurements: 32 1/8" H x 26" D x 61 5/8" W, 22" H from the ground to the underside of the drawer
Condition Report:
Early
black paint with some later touch ups, all paint heavily oxidized and
distressed. Extreme surface wear and flaking of the surfaces - and
further flaking may occur during shipping prior to being placed in your
residence. The torque point where the central drawer connects both
pedestals has been restored a few times - note the additional wooden
pegs in the back of the desk; this torque point is again slightly loose,
though not in a way that needs to be addressed; expect to have a bit of
wiggle when lifting and moving the desk, but when it is in place the
desk is incredibly sturdy and immovable. Loss to the "cupid's bow"
scrolled shaping of the apron on one side of the desk. Joint separations
throughout along with associated gesso and paint losses. No keys, locks
untested. Legs have shrunk out of being straight, though they hit the
ground and support the desk perfectly - some competent repairs to the
legs. We feel the desk would be most enjoyable with a piece of glass
placed on top - while we would be happy to quote glass and ship it with a
piece of glass on top, this is usually much more economical to simply
order locally once the desk is in your home.
About silla | antiques & art
Established in 2009, we have
available in our 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery an
ever-changing selection of carefully curated and catalogued furniture,
decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and estate jewelry. Our company
has long specialized in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 and as such
the gallery always has a very large collection of
exceptional European and American sculpture available on display. As
stewards of these incredibly beautiful and timeless pieces of history,
we take our role very seriously with a "light-touch" approach to
restoration and conservation. All objects are guaranteed to be exactly
as catalogued and also to arrive exactly as shown.
The gallery is
located at 117 W Burd Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and is open
by appointment only. We welcome your visit and would love to meet with
you at the shop. For clients located outside of the area, we are always
available to discuss items by video conferencing or by phone.
FREIGHT SHIPMENTS
We
offer economical and speedy freight service for most locations in the
lower 48 States via the major LTL freight carriers. Delivery is
generally 5-10 business days after packing is complete for the East
Coast and 15-20 business days after packing is complete for the West
Coast. Rush service is available so just contact us for a quote if there
is a project deadline.
The Process:
- The
item is professionally packaged by our in-house team, palletized and
shipped on a tractor trailer. Packing happens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays so if your purchase comes through on a Wednesday, it may
not be packed until the following Tuesday depending on our packing
schedule.
- We release the palletized shipment to the LTL freight firm and upload tracking information to your order
- Once
the freight has made it to the terminal nearest to your home, the
dispatch team will notify the buyer and schedule a delivery day.
- The
buyer is then required to make the necessary arrangements to receive
and inspect the goods. Some freight firms will offer a delivery window
while others will
require the buyer or a representative for the buyer to be available the
entire day. Please note, drivers are never allowed to call the buyer to
update them on an expected delivery time, though it may be possible for
the buyer to call the terminal and get a rough idea on updated timing
throughout the day.
- On delivery day, the tractor trailer will
arrive at the residence and the truck driver will lower the palletized
shipment to the nearest curb with a lift-gate where the buyer will then
be responsible for bringing it into the home, unpacking and disposing of
the packing materials. If you require a higher level of service (i.e
brought up the driveway and into the garage, brought into the entryway
of the home, etc.) just contact us for a quote.