A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese hardwood desk inlaid with ivory, the rectangular top decorated to the centre with a large highly detailed vignette of birds in flight and perching on blossoming branches, within further inlaid symmetrical motif borders, above a central long panelled frieze drawer flanked by two square panelled drawers, all with cut brass drop handles, decorated to fronts with inlaid vignettes detailing deities, jungle fowl, etc, above a shaped pierced apron with applied decoration detailing objects of the scholar's desk, (the same decoration is mirrored to the back of the piece) flanked by panelled sides with cut-out apertures on straight legs, again highly decorated with strung and further scrolling symmetrical inlaid borders, 80 cm high, the top measuring 60.5 x 119 cm.