July, 1919 
29 
A Spanish desk 
of the Baroque 
period with rich 
inlay on the 
doors, a typical 
example 
To the right, a 
rare piece of 
green Italian 
lacquer with 
drawers below 
and cabinet top 
country until after then. The master crafts¬ 
men gave to their own special work distinguish¬ 
ing marks that are helpful for identification. 
Chippendale leaned to table desks, and secre¬ 
taries, which have glass doors. Many were 
exquisite in their workmanship, showing classic 
hand-carving on the feet and fluted columns. 
Hepplewhite preferred a heavier style and more 
severe, while Sheraton created, among other 
pieces, tambour tables to be used by both ladies 
and gentlemen. Many of his pieces were fin¬ 
ished with plain legs, while others were twisted. 
Classifying Desks 
In classifying these desks they should be 
divided into three groups: antiques, reproduc¬ 
tions and machine-made pieces. The last were 
never carved and followed such similar sub¬ 
jects that Ruskin, during his day, condemned 
them as unfit for use in any up-to-date room. 
For a time they went out of fashion, but today 
with the introduction of skilled labor, men who 
have studied the art for years have caught the 
spirit and with a perfect understanding of the 
type desired, are producing satisfactory pieces. 
We are particularly fortunate in being able to 
control master craftsmen, who have come from 
Spain, Italy and even Japan, attracted to our 
country by our superior work. It is the mobili¬ 
zation of experts, such as these, that has led 
to such wonderful productions. 
William and Mary desks are in favor at the 
present time. They prove satisfactory on ac¬ 
count of their being able to fit into small 
places. The mahogany desk in Queen Anne’s 
style also is fashionable for it is particularly 
congenial in a Colonial room. 
For Men and Women 
The man of the house demands for his 
library something in harmony with his furni¬ 
ture. If it is mahogany of the Colonial type, 
a Chippendale or Hepplewhite desk is applica¬ 
ble. Elaborately carved woodwork requires a 
richly carved desk. 
The housewife prefers an entirely different 
kind of desk. It should have plenty of com¬ 
partments; or if she has much correspondence, 
it should be a cabinet top, where she can place 
her letters. In chambers where old Colonial 
pieces are used the desks most adaptable are 
either walnut or mahogany. Yet, even here, 
discretion must be exercised for it would be 
unsuitable to place a Chippendale desk in a 
Hepplewhite setting. Then too, proportion 
and style demand a placing of desks that is in 
harmony with the rest of the furniture. In 
direct contrast, painted pieces demand either a 
writing table of the same color or possibly an 
odd piece which makes a pleasing contrast. 
For this, why not have a built-in desk in one 
corner of the room, painted white, and deco¬ 
rated with the same design used in the fur¬ 
niture? 
Italian and Baroque Designs 
We revel in the rich colors found in Italian 
furniture, admiring particularly those pieces 
that came into vogue during the Renaissance. 
The finest and most desirable desks came into 
vogue about the middle of the 16th Century. 
They embodied cleverness of construction to¬ 
gether with good taste in design. Particularly 
happy was the choice of color. These Venetian 
workmen were most elaborate producers of 
furniture, and their type is easily recognizable 
as they use principally light shades with vivid 
polychrome decorations. Their favorite tones 
were light blue, gray, a greenish white, and 
an effective shade of light yellow. 
The same designs were copied later by the 
Roman cabinet-makers whose work is char¬ 
acterized by the use of heavier colors. Fol¬ 
lowing on their work came the baroque, a 
style that reached its apex during the reign of 
Louis XIV. In both Spanish and Portuguese 
desks we find this Baroque note. An example 
of the Spanish Baroque is illustrated on this 
page. The desk is decorated with the old iron 
work, so popular with the Spanish craftsmen. 
The hammered wrought iron designs stand out 
on a background of dark wood in a decorative 
manner. 
We must not forget the decorative value of 
lacquer, which because of its color value is 
often introduced as a single piece in the room. 
Oriental lacquer work is ornamented with gold, 
and mother-of-pearl. Gold ground lacquer is 
occasionally found in furniture, although black 
and red are considered most desirable by ex¬ 
perts. One of these antiques occupies a wall 
space in the home of Mr. Henry G. Vaughan, 
M. F. H., of the Norfolk Hunt, shown at the 
bottom of page 28. The lacquer here is red, 
and the same color is repeated in the mirror 
hanging above. 
In addition to these period pieces many en¬ 
thusiasts are making over old furniture into 
desks, using the square piano and the spinnet 
for this purpose. The possibilities in this are 
limitless and offer a wide field for inge¬ 
nuity. 
This revival of the desk as an essential piece 
of furniture is due to the fact that we are ap¬ 
preciating the architectural atmosphere of our 
rooms. We are considering them as complete 
pictures in which hangings, furniture and wall 
coverings combine to create a finished en¬ 
semble. Into this ensemble comes the desk. 
The Position of the Desk 
Heretofore the antique desk was relegated to 
a dark corner whereas, granted it has good 
lines and is in a fitting condition, it should be 
given a place of honor in the furniture group¬ 
ing of a room. 
The place for the desk is the position that 
affords light over the left shoulder—granted, 
of course, that the writing members of the 
house are right-handed! If possible it should 
not be in too public a part of the room. A 
corner is preferable. Although one often sees 
the desk placed between windows—and there 
it finds its best position as a piece of furniture 
—the cross lights are often amazing. But one 
can always sacrifice a little of her convenience 
to make the perfect grouping. 
When the desk is used as an integral element 
in the furnishing of a room, it should be com¬ 
bined with accessories to form a group. There 
should be a floor lamp close at hand or a lamp 
above it. Pleasing garniture may be placed on 
top. A picture or decorative mirror may be 
suspended above. 
