Solid Manchineel Sloping Desk, Nantais Work, Louis XV Period

Very rare solid manchineel sloping desk, curved on the front, it opens with three drawers on two rows in the lower part and a flap in the upper part, the latter resting on two pulls reveals a curved interior, with many secrets, furnished with six drawers, four niches and a door. The mirrored sides and the low crosspieces decorated with a fine molding, it rests on four arched legs. The bottoms are in solid Cuban oak and mahogany for the back and bottom floor. The edge of the slightly curved fronts and sides of the drawers, the finesse of the sides of the drawers and the quality of the assemblies, as well as the very small dowels, attest to the careful manufacture of a master cabinetmaker. Port work (Nantes) from the 18th century. Safeguarding restorations carried out, filled-waxed finish in natural color and not tinted. I would like to thank Mr. Patrick LANGBOUR of CIRAD for the identification of this manchineel wood: Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella) from the Euphorbiaceae family. The species is found in Central America, the Caribbean, the Antilles and northern South America. Its wood, yellow-brown sometimes veined, with a fine grain, was exploited and valued during the colonial era.