Louis XVI Period Lady's Desk In Rosewood Veneer, Marquetry Of Fillets And Amaranth

Elegant Louis XVI period cylinder secretary, less than a meter wide. The frame is made of softwood and beech, the drawers are mounted in oak. The piece of furniture is veneered with rosewood sheets cut in a rising grain, the grain of which is oriented horizontally, emphasizing the balance of the surfaces. The panels are richly framed with a network of composite fillets: three rows alternating light and dark wood, punctuated by checkerboard squares, then delimited by an amaranth reserve. This rigorous and delicate marquetry is emblematic of the Louis XVI style. The secretary rests on four sheathed legs ending in bronze sabots. It opens at the bottom with two longitudinal drawers and a sliding worktop, while the upper part adopts an unusual arrangement: - a row of three drawers above the cylinder, - a second row of three drawers below the cylinder. Opening the cylinder reveals a stepped theater, comprising: a shelf-mounted paper holder with two small side drawers and a central niche. The whole is topped with its original white marble, removable and molded with a groove (quarter-round fillet). The cabinet retains all its period locks, functional, and has its original key, which operates all the locks. The other keys present are for pulling the drawers only. The bronze hardware includes ring handles, knotted ribbon lock escutcheons and medallions. The back of the cabinet, unveneered, has a traditional dovetail and peg assembly, on wood stained with an old red ochre - a period finish. This secretary is in perfect condition, fully restored according to the rules of the art. The marquetry has retained its beautiful colors, the veneers are clean and shiny, and all the mechanisms are fully functional. The composite thread decoration punctuated by checkerboards that we find on our piece of furniture is less common in its use, we find it however on several pieces of furniture stamped by Jean-Jacques Manser, cabinetmaker born in Ribeauvillé in Alsace and active in Paris in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine from the 1750s. Active during the Transition and Louis XVI periods, notably on a chest of drawers stamped by Jean-Jacques Manser, presented in the Kjellberg. Dimensions: Total height: 112.5 cm Height of the writing tablet: 72.5 cm Width: 99.5 cm Depth: 55.5 cm Depth with pulled tablet: 93 cm