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| Desk of Plum Pudding Mahogany The Victoria & Albert Museum |
John Jones, a keen collector of French decorative arts from 1700 to 1800, left
his collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1882. While many of his pieces were truly
magnificent and authentic, many were later proven to be copies. Jones, of course, wasn’t aware of this, and
had been conned by clever forgers who
knew that, at the time, at least, their counterfeits would not be spotted. Now, of course, with science on our side, we’re
able to spot these forgeries.
Here’s a famous piece from Jones’ collection which was
originally thought to be something much grander and older than it turned out to
be. The curators of the V&A now feel
that this handsome desk actually was made between 1800 and 1820 as a much
simpler piece (without the porcelain plaques) of furniture.
The desk was probably veneered all over with the dappled
mahogany that is now seen everywhere except the doors. This kind of veneer is
colloquially known as “plum pudding” mahogany and was very fashionable at the
beginning of the 19th century.
The circular plaques were most likely added between 1860 and
1880, in imitation of the Sèvres porcelain plaques that were used on furniture
in the 1780s. These plaques, it seems were created made from old plates, but
the original decoration has been removed with acid, and this floral decoration
added.
The goal with this deception was to make the desk look as if
it had been made in the1780s. Jones
purchased the desk believing this to be true.
Nonetheless, the piece of oak, pine and mahogany, veneered
with plain mahogany and 'plum pudding' mahogany, with its gilt-bronze mounts,
doors set with circular plaques of painted porcelain, and top set with a slab
of Carrara marble, is still attractive even if it wasn’t an important French
antique.
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