Rosewood Marquetry Secretaire with Leather Writing Surface

• Inlay - Decorative patterns inserted into the main body of a piece of furniture, generally in wood of contrasting colour and grain, though brass, ivory, ebony, shell and sometimes horn have been used. Inlay may consist of a panel of well figured timber inset into a cabinet door front, geometric patterns, or complex and stylized designs of flowers, swags of foliage, fruits and other motifs. As a general rule, in pieces where the carcase is constructed in the solid, the inlay is relatively simple such as stringing, cross banding and herringbone banding. Where more elaborate and decorative work was required veneer was used. Inlay has been fashionable from at least the latter half of the 17th century, when a variety of elaborate forms were developed
• Cornucopia - The cornucopia, literally the horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance and wealth. It is traditionally is represented by a curved goat horn overflowing with grain and fruit.
  
  Modern cornucopias are often depicted as horn-shaped baskets filled with food, and this symbol is often associated with the harvest. This decorative device has a long and ancient history, with roots in Greek mythology.
  
  In one version, when Zeus was playing with the goat Amalthea he accidentally broke off one of her horns. To atone for this, Zeus promised Amalthea that the horn would always be full of whatever fruits she desired. This became the cornucopia of the Roman goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia.
  
  In furniture and decorative arts, cornucopia as a decorative element have been popular since the 16th century and can be found on items as diverse as light fittings and candelabra to clocks, sculpture and statuary and furniture.
  
  In ceramics, cornucopia shaped vases were popular in the 19th century, in singles and pairs.
• Fall Front - Furniture with a hinged flap, usually associated with desks and secretaires, that opens or 'falls' to provide a flat writing surface. The flap may be supported by chains or brass quadrants and rest on wooden supports or runners, known as lopers, that pull out from a recess in either side of the piece. The interior of a fall-front desk is usually fitted with small drawers and pigeonholes.
• Chevron Motif - In jewellery, a chevron is a V-shaped pattern or design that is often used to create a bold and striking visual effect, and as a symbol of strength, power and protection.. It is a classic motif used in many different styles of jewellery and can be seen in various forms such as on a ring, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. It can be created with precious or semi-precious stones, pearls, or enamel. It can be found in different forms such as engraved or inlaid or beaded.
  
  In ceramics the pattern is often used in decorative pottery and porcelain pieces, such as vases, bowls, plates and figurines. The chevron pattern can be created by using different colored glazes or by hand-painting the design onto the piece. It is also commonly found in the form of embossing or intaglio in decorative ceramic objects. This pattern can be seen as a popular design choice in Art Deco and Art Nouveau style of ceramics.
  
  This chevron pattern can also be found in many different types of furniture, such as tables, chairs, chests of drawers, and cabinets. A common place to find chevron pattern is in a herringbone pattern, which is made up of repeating V-shaped patterns. The chevron pattern can be created by using different types of wood, inlaying or by using different colors of stain. It is also commonly found in the form of a veneer. This pattern can be seen as a popular design choice in mid-century modern, Art Deco, and contemporary style furniture.
• Rosewood - A dense timber that varies in shade to very light brown to almost black. When rosewood is cut and sanded the colour of the timber will turn black, and after polishing and exposure to daylight, the surface will gradually lighten over time to light brown with black streaks.
  
  The name comes from the odour emanating from the timber when it is planed, sanded or cut.
  
  Rosewood was very popular for use in Victorian furniture in the second half of the 19th century, and at that time most of the rosewood was imported from Brazil. However it also grows in India and Indonesia.
  
  It is used in the sold for chairs and table legs, but for carcase furniture such as side cabinets and bookcases, and for table tops it is always used as a veneer.
• Marquetry - In marquetry inlay, contrasting woods, and other materials such as ivory, shell and metal are inlaid either as panels or in a single continuous sheet over the surface of the piece. The design may be straightforward, such as a shell pattern or a basket of flowers, or it may be infinitely complex, with swirling tendrils of leaves, flowers and foliage, such as one finds, for example, in the "seaweed" patterns on longcase clocks of the William and Mary and Queen Anne periods.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• desks, style or type
  • secretaire a abattant (writing bureau) 72
  • secretaires 206