Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
DIRECTOIRE STYLE
Formed in the wake of the Jacobin Reign of Terror’s bloody guillotine, the Directoire was established to lead France into order through the leadership of a five-member council of directors. It was brief, lasting only from 1795 to 1799, ending with Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, and was economically tumultuous. Yet it was an essential bridge between the era of Louis XVI and the elaborate Empire style that followed, with Directoire furniture and decorative arts shaped by a royal passion for classical design and an enthusiasm for postrevolutionary France.
Much of the country’s furniture production had halted during the French Revolution when the furniture guilds system was abolished, but during the Directoire period, the cabinetmakers restarted their businesses, such as François-Honoré-Georges and Jacob-Desmalter who established a new workshop called Jacob-Frères. Pieces made in walnut, elm, mahogany and other inexpensive materials incorporated influences ranging from Egypt to Pompeii, with popular forms including the curule armchair based on an ancient Roman design. The aesthetics of the transitional style were more austere than during the monarchy, with court cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Sené, for instance, reimagining his workshop’s neoclassical-style furniture with ungilded surfaces and a reduction of ornamentation.
Symbols referencing the revolutionary tenets of liberty, equality and fraternity were frequently carved into Directoire furnishings, such as the Phrygian cap, clasped hands and the fasces, which is an image of a bound bundle of sticks adopted from the Roman Republic, where it was seen as an emblem of strength through unity.
Elements of the French Directoire style continued through Empire style. Designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine are credited today as major proponents of both movements. The classically inspired furniture design is represented in pieces such as the boat-shaped daybed and the klismos chair, which endured in French interiors as well as in styles abroad, including American Directoire.
Find a collection of antique Directoire chairs, tables, daybeds, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Directoire
French Petite Inlaid Mahogany Writing Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A lovely, petite desk from 19th Century France made of luxurious mahogany and a leather writing surface with gold tooling. The small scale of this table would be interesting as a con...
Category
19th Century French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Kittinger Directoire Style Writing Desk
Located in Houston, TX
1960s Vintage Kittinger Directoire style writing desk composed of satinwood and features ebony inlay and brass hardware. Maker's mark located inside the center drawer.
Category
Late 20th Century North American Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Directoire style minister
s desk in solid wood with leather pad
Located in Landivy, FR
This minister's desk with 5-drawers is a craft-handed reproduction of the world-renowned French Directoire style, which dates back to the end of the 18th century.
This range is char...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Directoire Style Brass Trimmed Leather Top Vanity Desk, Circa 1890
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This French Directoire style brass trimmed vanity desk, circa 1890, exemplifies refined Parisian elegance from the late 19th century. Crafted in fine mahogany, the piece features a r...
Category
1890s French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
$1,960 Sale Price
20% Off
French Directoire style handcrafted secretary desk in cherry wood
leather pad
Located in Landivy, FR
This Secretary is a handmade modernized interpretation of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century. This period is remarkable with its straight, classical and timel...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood, Cherry, Lacquer
French 18th Century Louis XV Style Painted Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This archetypal 18th century Louis XV-style desk was given a distinguishing update in the 20th century: washing the pine construction in white paint and black pinstriping to accentua...
Category
18th Century French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine, Paint
French fruitwood marquetry top writing table, 1950’s
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Academic Revival rectangular bureau plat in the French Directoire taste. The fruitwood marquetry top is mounted on a conforming apron fitted with a divided long drawer. Each drawer f...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Vintage Ebonized Leather-top French Bureau Plat Faux-Partner
s Desk
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Ebonized French Bureau Plat Faux-Partner's Desk with Tooled Red Leather Top and Tapered Legs on Brass Sabots.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Directoire style minister
s desk in solid wood
Located in Landivy, FR
This minister's desk with 5-drawers is a craft-handed reproduction of the world-renowned French Directoire style, which dates back to the end of the 18th century.
This range is char...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Rare Brass and Steel Aged Mirrored Top John Vesey Style Ebonzed Writing Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This rare brass and steel ebonized writing desk in the style of John Vesey showcases a striking blend of modern sophistication and timeless craftsmanship. Designed with an eye for bo...
Category
1980s European Vintage Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Stainless Steel
$4,680 Sale Price
20% Off
Petite Ebonized Child Size or Ladies Writing Desk attributed to Maison Jansen
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Refined and compact, this Maison Jansen–attributed Directoire-style desk from the 1950s showcases timeless French elegance in a scaled-down form ideal for a lady’s writing table or c...
Category
1950s French Vintage Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Directoire Style Desk with Cylinder Top, France, 19th Century
Located in Belmont, MA
Directoire style desk with cylinder top, France 19th century
Mahogany veneer with satinwood inlays. This elegant little desk is perfect for a small working space. The writing top fo...
Category
1860s French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany, Satinwood
Rare Flame Mahogany Bronze Mounted Leather Top Francois Linke Desk Bureau Plat
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This rare François Linke desk, Bureau Plat, circa early 20th century, is an extraordinary example of French luxury craftsmanship, showcasing the artistry and elegance that made Linke...
Category
1910s French Vintage Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Italian Desk with Drawer Directoire All Cherrywood Restored and Wax-Polished
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Late 19th-early 20th century Italian writing desk with drawer all solid cherrywood, restored and wax-polished.
Wonderful writing table in solid cherrywood, original and restored. ...
Category
1890s Italian Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
French Directoire style desk in oak
Located in Landivy, FR
This computer desk is proposed here in solid oak from France and is also available in cherry.
A black leather desk pad equips the top.
The top is sli...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Oak
$3,215 / item
French Directoire Mahogany and Brass Inlaid Leather Top Desk
Located in Queens, NY
French Directoire (Late 18th Century) mahogany and bronze trim desk with a black leather top having 2 extending side surfaces surrounded by a shallow reticulated brass gallery, havin...
Category
18th Century French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
French Directoire Style Writing Table, Desk in Cherrywood, 2 Drawers
Located in Landivy, FR
This writing table is a handmade reproduction of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century.
This period style is remarkable with its straight, classical and timeles...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Cherry, Oak
Vintage Early 20th Century French Mahogany Desk with Aubergine Leather Top
Located in Buchanan, NY
This vintage French mahogany desk will add a touch of sophistication to your work environment. It features a sleek aubergine leather top that complements the original art deco hardware...
Category
Early 20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Directoire Style Desk Solid Cherry with Leather Pad and Covered Storage Space
Located in Landivy, FR
This desk belongs to the MELANIE collection that proposes handcraft modernized reinterpretated pieces of furniture from the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century.
T...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Cherry, Oak, Lacquer
Directoire-Style Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Chicago, US
Directoire/Napoleon III style desk composed of one large center and two side dovetailed drawers. The right drawer has a divided back section with an inset tray and a horizontal panel...
Category
Early 20th Century Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Directoire Style gray desk in solid oak wood with a leather pad
Located in Landivy, FR
This desk is a craft-handed reproduction of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century. The design of this period is remarkable with its straight, classical and time...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Cherry, Oak, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Writing Desk in Walnut with Inlay by Meroni
Fossati
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Italian elegant early 20th century Directoire writing desk in walnut massive and veneered with inlay on the top by Meroni & Fossati. Wax polished
Useful height under central drawer 60 cm.
To better understand the Directoire style of this desk
Directoire style was a period in the decorative arts, fashion, and especially furniture design in France concurrent with the Directory (November 2, 1795–November 10, 1799), the later part of the French Revolution. The style uses Neoclassical architectural forms, minimal carving, planar expanses of highly grained veneers, and applied decorative painting. It is a style transitional between Louis XVI and Empire.
The Directoire style was primarily established by the architects and designers Charles Percier (1764–1838) and Pier François Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853). In its use of Neoclassical architectural form and decorative motifs the style anticipates the slightly later and more elaborate Empire style, which was introduced after Napoleon established the First French Empire.
The Directoire style reflected the Revolutionary belief in the values of republican Rome:
"The stoic virtues of Republican Rome were upheld as standards not merely for the arts but also for political behaviour and private morality. Conventionels saw themselves as antique...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French Directoire style handcrafted Desk in solid wood, with leather pad
Located in Landivy, FR
This desk with top storage compartments is a craft-handed re-interpretation of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century.
The design of...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Directoire style handcrafted lacquered desk with solid wood
leather pad
Located in Landivy, FR
This desk is a craft-handed reproduction of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century. The design of this period is remarkable with its straight, classical and timel...
Category
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Wood, Oak, Lacquer
Period French Directior Leather Topped Writing Table.
Located in Hudson, NY
This beautiful period writing table was constructed in France circa 1790 to 1800 of rich imported mahogany and the woods have been carefully selected to create an overall pattern of ...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
A French Directoire Style Ormolu Parquetry Bureauplat, Early 20th Century
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A French Directoire Style Ormolu Parquetry Bureauplat, Early 20th Century
Provenance: Private Australian Collection.
Description:
The rectangular top of parquetry finely inset wi...
Category
Early 20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Antique French Directoire Neoclassical Mahogany Leather Top Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Directoire Neoclassical Mahogany Leather Top Desk is a marvel of timeless architecture, tailored styling and quality materials. Crafted from exotic imported mahogany,...
Category
Early 20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Writing Table, Pull-Out Gilt-Tooled Leather Top
Located in Montreal, Quebec
An elegant desk from 20th century France. This writing table features a pull-out black leather top adorned with gold tooling, creating a beautiful contrast with the warm brown wood o...
Category
20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
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Directoire desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Directoire desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desks and writing tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, mahogany and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Directoire desks and writing tables made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desks and writing tables, popular names associated with this style include Maison Jansen, Baker Furniture Company, François Linke, and Meroni
Fossati. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desks and writing tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,596 and tops out at $42,500 while the average work can sell for $4,500.
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