Victorian Rosewood Lady's Writing Desk, by Alexander Roux, 479 & 481 Broadway New York, circa 1860

Stamped FROM A. ROUX CABINET MAKER 479 & 481 BROADWAY NEW YORK

Leather lining replaced. Repaired age crack to trestle bases and supports.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Alexander Roux (1813-1886) was born in France and emigrated to the United States where he set up his cabinetmaking shop on Broadway in New York City in 1836. Roux’s shop sold his own pieces along with pieces either fully or partially supplied to him by his brother, Frédéric Roux, who was an ébeniste in Paris. Acclaimed by the tastemaker Andrew Jackson Downing in The Architecture of Country Houses(1850) when he wrote, “In New York, the rarest and most elaborate designs, especially for the drawing-room and library use, are to be found at the warehouse of Roux, in Broadway.” Roux was known for his ability to draw on French designs, both what was currently popular as well as what was favored from the 18^th century. While his designs are highly varied, a child’s bed in Museum of the City of New York and illustrated in Marilynn Johnson, et al., 19^th Century America: Furniture and Other Decorative Arts, New York, 1970, no. 149, displays the same pierced panels as on this desk.