Cardboard Maker Forming A Desk. Blackened Pear Wood And Cognac Leather "moroccan Type". End Of The 19th Century.

This blackened pear wood cardboard box is a piece of furniture used to store and preserve manuscripts, autographs, notes, papers and maps (naval, topographical, etc.) of all kinds. It consists of a series of boxes in which ten document boxes fit, a sort of rectangular box with two sides fitted with hinges and in good condition. Elegant handles allow them to be opened. They are covered in elegant “Cognac” leather simulating Moroccan shades. Each cardboard front is bordered with a pretty golden border. This is topped by a desk used for writing while standing. Inside, the wood takes on its natural color. This piece of furniture can be perfectly integrated into a library office. It evolves perfectly among world maps and objects dear to humanities studies. The first date from the Louis XVI period (1774-1792) and were widespread among scholars of the Enlightenment and the first colonial explorations across the Atlantic. In the 19th century, this type of furniture was widely used in the offices of notaries and lawyers to store paperwork for current cases. It is in Valréas (Vaucluse) that the largest cardboard makers were designed and produced, even reaching worldwide fame at the beginning of the 20th century. Born in the middle of the 19th century, this cardboard industry contributed to the economic development of the town, employing its residents and especially its female residents. The factory employed mainly women to produce its cartons. In homage to all these Valréassians, the town has chosen to name this space: “the Cartonnières Quarter”. The furniture is in "good condition" despite a few small chips to be repaired and a small piece of leather to be glued back on the left on the desk. This is a “beautiful” piece of furniture, with beautiful proportions. Each box measures 37 cm wide and 30 cm deep.​