Writing desk

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868 - 1928)

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

1904

The writing desk was designed for Hill House, Helensburgh and considered by many design historians to be Mackintosh's most accomplished piece of furniture design. The ebony has a luxurious finish which is offset with ivory and mother-of-pearl. There is a leaded glass and metal panel in the centre of the desk with an abstracted figure looped with garlands of roses. The desk was jointly acquired by Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and Hill House, National Trust for Scotland. The desk will be at Hill House from April until July every year and at Kelvingrove for the rest.

• Medium: mahogany, inset with mother-of-pearl, ivory & ceramic
• Dimensions: 112.7 x 94.3 x 47cm
• Art Fund Grant: £106043 ( Total: £996,650)
• ArtFunded in: 2002
• Vendor: Christie's

Provenance

Walter Blackie, Hill House; Dr. Thomas Howard; Christie's 1994; private collector; Christie's 2002.

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