Dressing table

This dressing table was made in London but shows the influence of fashionable Parisian furniture. At the time it was made Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann was a leading designer. Like Ruhlmann's furniture, it uses very rare materials, including shagreen (sharkskin) and ebony veneer. The handles and decorative stringing are made of ivory and even the carcase of the dressing table is made of expensive mahogany. The slender legs and delicate lines are similar to Art Deco furniture from Paris. They are also, to a lesser extent, similar to the French furniture in the neo-classical style made during the period 1770-1800 that influenced designers like Ruhlmann. The design is probably by J.F. Johnson, who was

Dressing table · London · 1926-1927. Mahogany veneered with ebony and shagreen, ivory stringing and handles. By Johnson, J.F.. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.