Title
Louis XV Style Marquetry Cylinder Desk
Creator
Date
c. 1880
Description
A LOUIS XV STYLE MARQUETRY CYLINDER DESK (French, c. 1880) from the workshop of Paul Sormani, Paris. The piece is based on a 1777 French roll-top desk with elaborate marquetry by André Louis Gilbert, and case by Gérard Péridiez. A very similar late 18th century version is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
An openwork bronze gallery surrounds three sides of the top. Ormolu mounts protect the edges of the desk. The mounts are shaped into faces along the top and at the knees. The sycamore desk is decorated with elaborate tulipwood and amaranth marquetry. The front includes rural landscape scenes bordered by musical instruments and the sides depict urns on pediments surrounded by floral swags. The roll top opens to reveal a writing surface and six convex drawers with round drop pulls. Below the writing slide is a pull out drawer with hinged side compartments for toiletry articles and a collapsible toilette mirror. The tops of these compartments are decorated with a marquetry design of musical instruments and classical urns. The curved apron has an ormolu lion’s head surrounded by foliate decoration at center. The desk stands on four slender cabriole legs with ormolu sabots.
The table is stamped “Sormani” twice on the back bottom of the apron, and the central drawer has an engraved brass label reading “P. Sormani, Paris for Geo. A. Glaenzer, New York.” This desk was commissioned by the decorator Georges A. Glaenzer and retailed by George E. Vernon & Co., Newport. It was purchased by Frederick W. Vanderbilt (American, 1856-1938) for his estate Rough Point, and was later moved to his Hyde Park estate. It came into the possession of Frederick Vanderbilt’s niece Mrs. James L. Van Alen (Margaret “Daisy” Post Van Alen and later Mrs. Louis Bruguiere), and was moved to her Newport estate Wakehurst where it remained until her death in 1969.
An openwork bronze gallery surrounds three sides of the top. Ormolu mounts protect the edges of the desk. The mounts are shaped into faces along the top and at the knees. The sycamore desk is decorated with elaborate tulipwood and amaranth marquetry. The front includes rural landscape scenes bordered by musical instruments and the sides depict urns on pediments surrounded by floral swags. The roll top opens to reveal a writing surface and six convex drawers with round drop pulls. Below the writing slide is a pull out drawer with hinged side compartments for toiletry articles and a collapsible toilette mirror. The tops of these compartments are decorated with a marquetry design of musical instruments and classical urns. The curved apron has an ormolu lion’s head surrounded by foliate decoration at center. The desk stands on four slender cabriole legs with ormolu sabots.
The table is stamped “Sormani” twice on the back bottom of the apron, and the central drawer has an engraved brass label reading “P. Sormani, Paris for Geo. A. Glaenzer, New York.” This desk was commissioned by the decorator Georges A. Glaenzer and retailed by George E. Vernon & Co., Newport. It was purchased by Frederick W. Vanderbilt (American, 1856-1938) for his estate Rough Point, and was later moved to his Hyde Park estate. It came into the possession of Frederick Vanderbilt’s niece Mrs. James L. Van Alen (Margaret “Daisy” Post Van Alen and later Mrs. Louis Bruguiere), and was moved to her Newport estate Wakehurst where it remained until her death in 1969.
Cultural Origin
French
Medium
sycamore
tulipwood with amaranth marquetry
ormolu mounts
Extent
39" x 32 1/2"
Collection
Source
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. William L. Van Alen, 1977.
Identifier
PSNC.4417a-b
For more information about this item, please contact its owning institution.