Here stands the writing desk of a mysterious king who was embroiled in political intrigue during the 19th century. Its opulent exterior still exudes royalty while its clandestine interior once kept its owner’s secrets safe in the shadows.
A sympathizer of rebellion in an age of monastic pushback, King Carlo Alberto of Sardinia (1798-1849) had this stationery specially crafted for his purposes. It is rife with secret compartments, for he may have housed correspondences that he wished to conceal from prying eyes.
By some twist of fate, however, this jewel of a desk landed in New Orleans, at the auction house M. S. Rau, where it will soon find its way into the hands of the highest bidder. It could end up in a lawyer’s office perhaps, or become the crown jewel of a luxurious den, as its future owner carries its historic legacy forward….