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Unique 1940s Executive Walnut & Cowhide - Greek Key Nail Head Leather Top Desk

$22,500
£17,182
€20,589.59
CA$32,397.37
A$33,401.25
CHF 18,814.96
MX$427,410.24
NOK 217,104.71
SEK 227,078.78
DKK 153,960.08

About the Item

One of a kind circa 1940s, custom large scale executive desk, with leather top, studded brass tack Greek Key edge boarder and long hair cowhide wrapped drawer pedestals. This desk reminds me of Texas, If JR Ewing of Dallas was based in the 40s, maybe he would have had a desk like this. The desk is well built, doesn't appear to be a production piece, more the hands of a craftsman. The history behind this desk, is it last belonged to a 90+ year Playboy bachelor, who was a life long gambler, owned a horse ranch and race horses. The entire house was covered in memorabilia relating to horses, horse racing and vintage gaming machines from the 30s and 40s. A neighbor mentioned that they were told by previous owner that the desk belonged to the infamous gangster Al Capone. Then after I purchased the desk, I showed a photo of the desk to my refinisher. He immediately called me, said he did touch up on the desks drawers and that the old man told him the desk belonged to Al Capone. This is a great story, forklore maybe, but not provable in my opinion. Still a great one of a kind desk ! Possible Mont Style : His name was James Mont, a.k.a. James Pess, a.k.a. Demetrios Pecintoglu—the name he was given at his birth in Istanbul—and his life and work were a mind-boggling admixture of the louche and the luxurious. From the early 1930s and into the 1960s, Mont was one of the most prominent designers and decorators on the East Coast. His forte was creating furniture that offered a stylish and dramatic, yet modern, take on historical forms and details—most of his designs drew on Asian influences, though he often employed classical elements in his pieces. The flamboyance of Mont’s designs was exceeded only by that of his lifestyle. His friends and clients included show business figures such as Bob Hope, Irving Berlin, and Lana Turner, as well as mob kingpins such as Frank Costello and “Lucky” Luciano. In an interview, Todd Merrill, a New York vintage design dealer who has made a special study of Mont, said he believes the man’s personality and his work were of a piece: “He was glamorous and loud, and the furniture he made had a kind of showy opulence. It appealed to people with no interest in machine age or severe modernism; they wanted interiors that were lively and decorative. And a Mont interior definitely wasn’t boring.” From : The Magazine ANTIQUES July 2008
  • Attributed to:
    Andrew Szoeke (Designer)
  • Similar to:
    James Mont (Designer)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 31 in (78.74 cm)Width: 96.25 in (244.48 cm)Depth: 36 in (91.44 cm)
  • Style:
    Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Cowhide,Leather,Wood
  • Place of Origin:
    United States
  • Period:
    1940-1949
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1940s
  • Condition:
    Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Mostly all original, top has been refinished or glazed over, shows wear with indentations. Drawers have been previously restored by previous owner, by my refinisher. Top to be restained prior to shipping. Also, includes touch up to wood.
  • Seller Location:
    St. Louis, MO
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU820247156842

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