Ormolu mounted Empire style cylinder desk

This fine cylinder, or roll-top, desk is crafted in the Empire style from hardwood mounted with ormolu. The desk features a rectangular grey-green marble plateau above an apron inset with two drawers. Below the apron, the desk swells in depth, with the curved lid of the roll top opening to reveal a leather-topped writing slide below twin drawers and a large pigeonhole. Below the writing surface is a further large frieze drawer inset into the apron, and the entire desk is supported by four tapering legs, the front two mounted with ormolu caryatid capitals.

The scheme of the desk, noticeably the manner of the ormolu mounts, is decidedly Empire in style. The caryatid capitals, the anthemia, and the laurel sprays, amongst the other ormolu motifs that adorn the piece, are all popular in Empire style art and design.