Josef Danhauser: Ladies’ writing desk made for Archduchess Sophie, 1825/1830, cherry, veneer, Vienna

Only three years after its establishment in 1804, Joseph Danhauser’s furniture factory was a flourishing enterprise. It made furniture to its own exclusive designs and had a huge influence on Viennese arts and crafts. From 1814, it became the first furnishings company to offer complete suites of matching furniture to suit different pockets. Granted an imperial licence, the company’s clientele ranged from the middle classes to the artistocracy and the imperial Court.