Louis XVI Period Cylinder Desk – Stamped J. Manser And Jme.

Elegant mahogany cylinder desk, stamped by master Jean-Jacques Manser (1727 – c. 1780) and marked with the JME (Jurande des Maîtres Ébénistes) hallmark. Of harmonious proportions and great sobriety, it illustrates the excellence of Parisian cabinetmaking during the reign of Louis XVI. Finished on all sides, it is designed to be placed either along a wall or in the middle of a room, the back being veneered in mahogany. The architecture is typically neoclassical: tapered legs with rudentée fluting, accentuating the rigor and elegance of the lines, the uprights of the cylinder adorned with sculpted moldings with volutes and uprights with vertical fluting, the cylinder punctuated by carefully assembled mahogany ledges. The upper part opens with three drawers. Opening the cylinder reveals an interior, composed of 3 small drawers and compartments, as well as a large pull trimmed with olive green leather, patinated and decorated with small iron. Materials and veneers: High quality Saint-Domingue mahogany veneer: speckled mahogany for the cylinder, grain mahogany for the sides and front. Built in beech and softwood oak, in accordance with the customs of Parisian workshops. Deliberate sobriety, the decorative effect resting on the richness of the wood and the quality of the finish. Locks and bronzes All the locks are period: triangular barrel for the drawers, clover barrel for the cylinder, refinement reserved for high-quality furniture. The keys currently present are later. The bronzes are limited to lock escutcheons: some original, others replaced by Louis XVI period bronzes, carefully chosen for their stylistic coherence. Condition and restoration: Careful restoration with occasional repairs of cracks and veneer grafts. French: ... His works, often veneered with mahogany, rosewood, or adorned with varnish, are part of the tradition of luxury furniture intended for an aristocratic and royal clientele. Several pieces supplied to the Crown through the merchant Joubert are documented. His estamoille is also found affixed alongside colleagues such as Pierre Denizot and Denis Genty. The Jurande des Maîtres Ébénistes (JME). The presence of the JME hallmark reinforces the prestige of this desk. The Jurande des Maîtres Ébénistes, established in 1743, guaranteed the quality of Parisian furniture by affixing this hallmark to the pieces it inspected. This marking formalized the work's compliance with the guild's rules and ensured its authenticity. Combined with the master's stamp, it constituted a double guarantee of provenance and quality. Thus, the combination of the Manser stamp and the JME hallmark places this desk in the strict tradition of Parisian furniture validated by the corporation, testifying to its level of execution, this also allows us to date the piece to the reign of Louis XVI. Conclusion: This cylinder desk in Saint-Domingue mahogany, stamped J. Manser and JME, represents a refined example of Parisian Louis XVI cabinetmaking. Its neoclassical architecture with rudenté legs, its sophisticated locks, its speckled mahogany and its careful finish make it a piece as attractive as it is historic. It fully illustrates what Pierre Kjellberg defines as the most typical productions of the Louis XVI style: sober, elegant furniture of impeccable quality, intended for the elite of their time.