Extremely Rare Portable Writing Desk

An exotic and extremely rare late 19th century portable writing desk, constructed from sandalwood, ivory, silver and buffalo horn, with ivory animalier engravings highlighted with black lac.
Attributed to the workshops of Ganagula Ramalingham, which were situated at the port of Visagapatam on the Indian Coromandel coast.

This portable desk is constructed in two main detachable sections. The lower section is supported by carved ivory paw feet and has one long drawer with two silver ring handles to its side. The upper section is unusually surmounted with three receptacles which contain a removable letter rack, a blotter and a lidded casket for the storage of writing accoutrements. Where the sandalwood is overlaid with ivory, this is profusely decorated, engraved and highlighted with lac. Though the principle bodies are overlaid with pierced floral ivory fretwork panels, which are also interspersed with engraved cartouches mainly of animals, which are also highlighted with lac. These panels are secured with silver rivets. The triple tiered mouldings, the ogee shaped base moulding, the convex waist and top moulding are all made from buffalo horn. The writing slope itself is of panelled construction and retains its original velvet covering. It can be secured shut with key, silver lock and escutcheon, but unlocked folds out to reveal a storage area with a single drawer bearing a turned ivory handle. The underneath of the desk is also lined with velvet.

Attribution:-
Ganugula Ramalingham�s workshops are known to have produced a carved ivory casket with carved ivory paw feet identical in design to the feet on our portable desk. This casket found its way into the collection of George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon, whose country seat, was Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. He acquired the casket when Viceroy of India 1898-1905. The fretted ivory panels attached to the Curzon casket are also secured with silver rivets. The casket was bequeathed to the Victoria and Albert Museum upon his death in 1925. Ganugula Ramalingham is known to have been the maker of a picture frame that was possibly presented by the Maharaja of Vizianagram to the 1st Baron Lord Pentland, when Governor of Madras, 1912-1917. This picture frame, now also at the Victoria and Albert museum, is decorated with floral ivory fretwork panels, which are also interspersed with cartouches. These are engraved with a number of animals almost identical in design to those upon our portable desk. Which leads us to believe, bearing in mind also, the overall high quality of craftsmanship, that our piece also originated in the esteemed workshops of Ganugula Ramalingham.

Stock Number: pc072/1107
SOLD

Height: 10 in / 25.4 cm
Width: 17.25 in / 43.82 cm
Depth: 15.5 in / 39.37 cm