Writing desk on stand, c. 1725-1750
Unknown artist, Indiaexpand_more
Desk: Rosewood, ivory inlaid with lac and silver; Stand: Ebony and other woodexpand_more
Gift of funds from Mona W. Brown, the Ferndale Foundation, Barbara Jabr, Al and Mary Agnes McQuinn, Mahendra and Asha Nath, and the Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 95.57a-k
Not on Viewexpand_more
This desk’s Indian makers used British pattern books as a guide. These forms suited their elite British market, including colonial officials.
It incorporates local materials that were plentiful to Indian craftsmen in the 18th-century, but today they are scarce. The ebony for the stand and the rosewood of the desk were once abundant in southern India, as was elephant ivory, in widespread use for architectural woodwork decoration in southern India. All three materials are now either endangered or threatened.
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- Title
- Writing desk on stand
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 95.57a-k
- Curator Approved
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