Chinoiserie Writing Desk with Floral and Landscape Decoration

• Pierced Decoration - Ornamental woodwork with part of the background cut through and removed to produce an open-work pattern.
• Chinoiserie - Furniture and decorative items decorated in imitation of a Western interpretation of the Chinese style. The Chinoiserie style first became popular in the late 17th century, though there were frequent revivals, notably by Chippendale (hence 'Chinese Chippendale') during the Regency period, and the Anglo-Japanese style in the second half of the 19th century.
  
  The ubiquitous 'willow pattern' is the most common 'Chinese' theme used in porcelain, while on furniture the Chinoiserie style usually has black or red painted and lacquered decoration, though the hallmark of the furniture style is the use of fretwork in geometrical patterns, pagodas and other decorative forms.
  
  Japonaiseries, as the name implies, are motifs in imitation of the Japanese taste.
  
  See also "Chinese Chippendale".
• 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.
• Greek Key - Moulding, found around cornices and sometimes tables, in the familiar Greek key pattern. The pattern was commonly used as brass inlay in furniture of the classical revival period

This item has been included into following indexes:

• desks, period or age - Victorian 409
• desks, style or type
  • Chinoiserie 12
  • ladies 88
  • table style 191
• furniture, material or decoration - lacquered 253
• furniture, period or style - Chinoiserie 263