French ivory veneer lap desk of simple form with a shield keyhole with original key and lock on a flip top lid opening to reveal an ivory mounted rectangular lid over a well and flanked by two square wells for ink bottle and sander. The fold down writing slope veneered to match on the exterior and lined with blue velvet on the writing surface and with brass hinges for the upper section of the slope to open for paper well below. Closed the entire desk is ivory veneer on all sides and surfaces except to underside which is covered in dark red / brown paper. The ivory is in very good condition with the very interesting natural cracking on the top of the lid surface and along the back panel and with more curved natural cracking on the side panels. Having said that it is just a natural thing to occur and gives a very interesting design and effect to the desk. The only missing ivory is at the very top right corner of the flap mostly inter the top lid and a small section on the lower right corner of the lid. The side panels of the ink and sander wells have each warped outward causing some separation at the outside corners but again a natural thing to have happened. The original ivory knob for the pen well is loose but present. There is some yellow spots on the top of the lid but these may be natural aging of the ivory. Having said all that the ladies writing lap desk is really in untouched original condition with natural aging as expected. French, late 19th century. Measures 3 1/2" high, 11" wide, 8 7/8" deep at base closed.