Marquetry desk-chest of drawers

Cylinder desks made their appearance during the eighteenth century. Perhaps the best examples are the Anglo-Saxon pieces. They were given this name due to the curved foldable lid, shaped like a cylinder, which hides the writing space. On the outside, when the aforementioned lid is closed, the piece of furniture looks like a simple dresser. This class of furniture of grand social prestige was produced throughout this century and the nineteenth century (there are even examples from the twentieth century) in Puebla. One variant of these desks includes a straight-cut foldable top with the same purpose of hiding the writing surface and the interior drawers. Some examples include false bookshelves with luxurious binding on the spines of the supposed books.

The marquetry work includes stained and inlaid wood, palo escrito (granadillo), pine and lemon. The outside of the lid displays floral motifs that intertwine, and geometric designs reminiscent of slight of hand or trompe l’oeil works. The color green predominates among the stained woods. The mechanism that allows the lid to move is bronze and the keyholes are wooden.

One interesting point is the circular motifs that appear both on the top of the lid and the sides; this very fine work was created by shaded inserts. Another beautiful color set is the use of wood inlays. The part used for writing displays a covering of green velvet. The professionals of the nineteenth century would include furniture such as this in their offices which would give them the social prestige they coveted. Desk-dressers of great beauty and indisputable quality were produced in Puebla. These works are highly appreciated in the art market.