Provenance:

Ronald Phillips, Ltd., London, 2003.

Christie's, New York, Rooms as Portraits: Michael Smith, September 26 2018, lot 157.

The tooled leather top is possibly replaced but stylistically suitable. The feet are possibly old replacements. The circular drawer handles seem to be original but each drawer front has four small filled pinholes which are barely noticeable beneath the keyholes; it is not clear what those holes once held in place. The desk is sturdy and ready to place otherwise, with a few negligible cosmetic issues such as a missing section of drawer edge, scuffs and chips at the corners from moving, detached and/or missing sections of projecting molding from around the base, and age cracks on the sides within the upper frieze. There are two keys present, and they fit the locks but the locks do not seem to work. There are two cabinet doors for storage inside the pedestals that cannot be opened.

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