An unusual gilt-bronze-mounted mahogany bureau plat attrubuted to Jacob-Desmalter Restauration, circa 1825

the superstructure with a Vitruvian scroll cresting, above four pigeon holes flanking a pierced panel with diaper motifs centred by a flowerhead, with a removeable writing slope with a hinged leather inset top, surmounted by a removable gilt-bronze receptacle for writing implements with two neo-classical tazze, one with a lid, flanking a vase containing a glass ink pot, the lower section with a rectangular top with rounded corners with a leather-inset writing surface, above three frieze drawers opposing dummy drawers, with sliding flowerheads concealing escutcheons, within an elongated scroll terminating in a flowerhead and stylised anthemion, on foliate cast volute headed legs, on paw feet

EN 1923, p.2, ''Empire writing table, £200'' in the Smoking Room;
Easton Neston II. Northamptonshire. The Seat of Sir Thomas Fermor-Hesketh Bt., Country Life,  27^th August 1927, p. 302, where the bureau is shown in situ in the Smoking Room at Easton Neston, Northamptonshire in 1927 reproduced

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Serge Grandjean, Empire Furniture, 1800-1825, London, 1966. 
Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, Empire stylebook of Interior Design, All 72 plates from the 'Receuil de décoration intérieures', New York,1991, plate 5. 

This unusual desk is influenced by the taste for pieces inspired by the Antique, most notably the highly influential designs published by Percier and Fontaine (see post), in the Recueil de Décorations Intérieures, which was first published in 1801and reissued in 1812. Their designs were often executed by Jacob Frères and Jacob-Desmalter. Percier and Fontaine op. cit., employed decorative motifs which can be seen, for example on this desk-see plate 5, for designs for panels and friezes from the painting studio of J. Citoyen, with a tablet beneath the panel with a palmette, similar to those on the frieze of this desk. The designs for the frieze and panels for the aforementioned room are also reflected in the trellis–pattern on the superstructure. Furthermore, the lion monopodia are also a common feature on the work of  Jacob Desmalter. Comparative desks include:
-An identical desk, lacking the writing slope,was formerly in the collection of the Earls of Inchcape, Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, sold Christie's, London, 27^th May 1993, lot 105;
-An identical desk, with a writing slope, from an anonymous Noble family, originally sold Sotheby's, Zurich, 29^th November 1995, lot 253 and then sold again by Partridge Fine Arts, London, Sotheby's, New York, 24^th October 2003, lot 99;
-An identical desk, without the writing slope, was offered for sale at Christie's, New York, 24^th May 2000, lot 350;
-An identical desk without the writing slope, the property of a West Coast Collector, sold Christie's, New York, 24^th May 2001, lot 170.

François-Honoré-Georges Jacob Desmalter (1770-1841):
He was the favourite cabinet-maker of Napoleon and belonged to a dynasty of leading cabinet-makers. He was the son of the most celebrated seat furniture maker, Georges Jacob, and took over the family's workshop in 1796, together with his brother Georges whereupon the firm became known as Jacob Frères and remained in rue Mesaly or Meslée until 1825. Amongst Jacob-Desmalter's first commissions was the decoration and furnishing of the town house of General Bonaparte and his wife Josephine in the rue Chantereine. Their surviving furniture illustrates the patriotic and symbolic tastes which were so characteristic of the Directoire period heralding the Empire style.

His next major commission was for the Récamiers, important and influential French bankers. At about the same time the firm was commissioned by Pierre-Francois-Léonard Fontaine (1762-1853) and Charles Percier (1764-1938) to decorate and furnish Malmaison, which was the country retreat of Josephine. The firm also provided furniture for Bonaparte's apartments at the Tuileries as well as exhibiting at the second and third public exhibitions of the 'Products of French Industry'  held in 1801 and 1802 in the courtyard of the Louvre. Jacob-Desmalter received a Gold Medal at the 1802 exhibition. Georges, François-Honoré-Georges' brother, died in 1803 after which the firm continued for nine years under the directorship of his father. After that Jacob-Desmalter used his own personal stamp.

It was during the Empire period that François-Honoré-Georges' reputation was established and his talent fully recognised.  It is recorded that in 1807 the firm employed 350 workmen. Jacob-Desmalter was known to work with the outstanding bronziers of the day such as Thomire and Delafontaine. His work according to Grandjean, op. cit., 'is esteemed not only on account of its stylistic homogeneity but because of its consistent high quality'.

Pierre-Francois-Léonard Fontaine (1762-1853) and Charles Percier (1764-1938):
These celebrated French architects and designers studied in Rome. Upon their return to France in 1791, they provided designs for the Assemblé National and designed furniture to be executed by Georges Jacob. In 1798, they designed furniture in the Antique style to be made by Jacob for the Council of Five Hundred. Their major commissions were for Napoleon especially at Malmaison. Their publication included motifs such as large N's in laurel wreaths, eagles and bees representing Napoleon; it also included designs for canopied beds and throne like armchairs and winged lion monopodia.