Napoleon III Desktop Set in Marble and Bronze, France, 1800s for sale at Pamono

Marble and bronze writing desk, Napoleon III style and period, ff. 19th century - France

Elegant French writing desk, Napoleon III style and period, in black marble and gilded bronze. On the black marble, with gray and emerald green veins, are the inkwells, one of them with a lid, and a lowered path, the space for the pen. All this sits on a chiseled bronze base, with legs with floral motifs. It is an ideal piece to give as a gift, as a collector's item or as a writing utensil, classic and elegant.

Napoleon III or Second Empire style and era

The Napoleon III or Second Empire style gets its name from the fact that it was born in France at that time. Strictly speaking, the Second Empire was proclaimed in 1852 and ended in 1870, led by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor of the French, although in the artistic sense it lasted a few more years (until 1880), and it was resorted to again in later times. This style was very popular among the French bourgeoisie. The emperor himself was involved in the artistic development of the time, although more linked to architecture. However, it is to the Empress Eugenie that we owe the evolution of the decorative arts.


Although inspired by the styles of the past, starting with Classical Antiquity, Renaissance, even Louis XVI, very dear to Eugenia, the most representative characteristic of the style is the sumptuousness and ostentation, always aspiring to show wealth and opulence. They are pieces with great ornamentation.

It is not a style designed specifically for the Second Empire, but a recovery of the different great French styles of previous centuries, a kind of compilation of French decorative trends. Special reference is made to Louis XIV, Louis XV, Baroque and Rococo, and little by little Louis XVI, with an eclectic base. In short, the decorative styles that had positioned France at the forefront of interior and furniture design in Europe, both for quality and for originality and beauty.

Dimensions: 13 x 26 x 14 cm.