An Early Louis XV Style Kingwood Bureau Plat

late 19th century

An early Louis XV style kingwood bureau plat (French, late 19th century) by Alfred-Emmanuel Beurdeley (French, 1847-1919). The shaped top is inset with gold-tooled black leather within wide triple bandings and a molded ormolu rim with corner clasps. The boldly shaped frieze contains a shallow drawer at center, outlined with ormolu moldings and a pierced chiseled cartouche-shaped escutcheon, the center drawer is flanked by a shaped drawer at each end, these are also outlined with ormolu and overlaid with foliage appliques. The reverse has matching false drawer fronts. The shaped ends have pendant aprons similarly outlined with ormolu centered by bold female masks wearing bonnets mantled by asymmetrical c-scrolls. The table is supported by four cabriole legs with bold shoulder mounts in the form of warrior busts wearing elaborate armor and helmets with spines of bound reeding descending to bold curled foliate sabots. The bureau plat is stamped “A. BEURDELEY / A PARIS.”

This bureau plat was originally used in the library of the Vanderbilt’s New York City residence at 1 West 57th Street before being moved to The Breakers.

French

kingwood

ormolu

31 1/2" x 70" x 41"

Gift to The Preservation Society, 1975.

PSNC.2397