A Little History Lesson

Did you know the first time tambour was introduced was on a desk for King Louis XV in the 1790s?

The King wanted something that kept his important papers secure and also looked gorgeous, naturally. So he instructed his official cabinet maker, Jean-Francois Oeben, to create a desk for him. Oeben got to work making the very first rolltop desk with a locking mechanism.

From start to finish, the desk took 9 years to complete. Sadly, Oeben passed away before the work was completed and his protégé Jean-Henry Reisener had to pick up where he left off.

Hard to believe it took that long and that the King patiently waited! Makes lead times seem super short by today’s standards. Note to self – mention this to clients when they complain their sofa is taking 20 weeks to produce…

But hey, they got it done. And the rest is history, as they say.

The Bureau de Roi, aka The King’s Desk, became one of the most celebrated furniture pieces of the eighteenth century thanks to it’s ingenuity and craftsmanship. Today, it is still replicated.

Today’s Tambour at Work

If you want to incorporate a little tambour inspo into your workspace, then I’ve got you covered! Below are options for some super cool desks that bring in this design element. Luckily, you won’t have to wait 9 years to get it either.

And if you want to create some tiny tambour pieces for your dollhouse, be sure to check out this tutorial!

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