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A Potted History of Writing Furniture continued.....
This would now be known as a 'Serpentine Fronted Knee-Hole Desk'. These library tables, which Chippendale supplied to some of the greatest houses in the land, were often large in size averaging 6ft wide and 4ft deep.
The trade catalogues of this period also illustrated other lighter forms of writing tables. A very sought after form, often had ingenious mechanisms for supporting and altering the angled 'drawing' surface, is the 'Architect's Table', versions of which can still be seen in draughtsmen's offices to this day. Even ordinary writing desks of the late 18th Century became very elaborate. Filing systems were introduced in the form of 'Pigeon Holes' with letters of the alphabet over them. Others had special drawers for ink and sand. Mahogany writing tables without a superstructure for books were also made during this period. Those with circular or many sided tops are known as 'Rent-Tables' and these were still made in the early 19th Century. These eventually evolved into drum tables with a pedestal base sometimes having labelled drawers used for storing documents relating to the estate.
Robert Adam's designs of the 1770's changed the style of architecture and furniture to the neo-classical. He introduced rosewood and satinwood along with delicate inlay instead of elaborate carving. Chippendale and Adam co-operated in producing some of the finest examples of marquetry to be found in English furniture. The art of marquetry involved both the architect/ designer and the cabinetmaker in producing the best examples but others produced similar effects without carved embellishments, instead depending on carefully contrasted veneers.
The makers Hepplewhite and Shearer advanced this method along with the reduction of ornament and a greater severity of line. They also adapted the pedestals so that sometimes one remained as drawer unit whilst the other became a cupboard. these were sometimes double sided or double depth and are now known as 'Partners' Desks' and used where two people needed to sit opposite each other.
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