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A sweet bent ply writing desk by unknown designer  

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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
18/05/2014 10:07 pm  

I bought this cheaply at the Lincoln Antiques fair - (£40.00) - cheaply because the top drawer pull was missing and the desk top had been covered with a badly fitting rectangle of mahogany faced plywood. I thought it an easy fix - wrong!! I removed the ply top to find a badly scored surface - perhaps it had been taken to the dump and the owner had deliberately vandalised it to prevent re-use as often happens? Luckily the top is blockboard so a few minutes with a sander removed the deep scratches and exposed a lovely 'Birds Eye Maple effect' veneer - with a couple of knots - who cares? A couple of coats of Danish oil and I love the result. The drawer handle was eventually replaced after couple of weeks of experimenting with steam bending plywood using oven gloves and a steam wallpaper stripper connected to a stainless steel steam box ( an oven roasting tin in fact). I can't find a similar one on the net but someone here might know the manufacturer? If not I'm sure I'll find out by accident at some point in the future as I did with a Danish lamp years ago (though sadly I'd sold it for £5.00 to a friend and It was a rare Jacobsen or Wegner lamp - can't remember which now)
<img class="wpforo-default-image-attachment wpforoimg" src=" http://old.designaddict.com/sites/default/files/for


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
19/05/2014 12:40 am  

Sorry the lamp shade was by Henri Mattieu
As I'm getting old I thought I'd try to refresh my memory - ref the actual light shade / lamp I sold for a fiver - I found an image eventually - it was a ceiling spiral by Henri Mattieu and my goodness worth even more than I remembered - oh well you win some and you lose some.


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
19/05/2014 11:10 pm  

Gordon Russell
A big thank you to Olly (eclectic rooms) who id'd it from the pic today. It's by Gordon Russell.


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Albertini
(@albertini)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 23
22/05/2016 11:50 pm  

Gordon Russell ! ..Someone, please expand ?


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
23/05/2016 1:41 am  

Gordon Russell Broadway Furniture manufacturers - this might help-
http://gordonrussellmuseum.org/default.aspx


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SDR
 SDR
(@sdr)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 6462
23/05/2016 6:46 am  

Nice piece; I'd want it in any condition. Your replacement pull is a great success, I'd say. And now I know about Gordon Russell ! Thanks.


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
23/05/2016 7:00 am  

Glad to have been of service.
Cheers
Rob


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Albertini
(@albertini)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 23
23/05/2016 11:51 am  

Hello, Yes I know of Gordon Russell and the website. I’m looking for evidence of the desk being by him ( or any one else ) ?
Not sure why anyone would suggest it’s by Gordon Russell particularly..could just as easily be Thonet or Aalto or Pastoe or..other
A makers label or catalogue photo would be nice ?


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
23/05/2016 8:42 pm  

Well since you asked I googled 'Gordon Russell desk' and two images came up of identical desks - two different dealers. Eclectic Rooms is Olly's so you could ask him directly.


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SDR
 SDR
(@sdr)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 6462
23/05/2016 8:56 pm  

The very conventional if minimal keyhole escutcheon on the top drawer is an interesting period detail.


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Albertini
(@albertini)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 23
23/05/2016 9:18 pm  

Rob, I’ve found three example. And yes I have asked. In all cases no reply. As dealers I suspect they have better things to do. So was hoping someone on here might just know where there is some firm reference. It’s a curious desk and I’m keen to find out who is responsible for it. I just don't get the Gordon Russell attribution ?


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Rob Naylor
(@rob-naylor5gmail-com)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 36
24/05/2016 6:37 pm  

Good luck with the research I look forward to hearing any results. You've whetted my appetite for knowing more about the desk - I'm going to do a bit more 'digging' too.


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