Large Marquetry Offertory Box – Regional Cabinetmaking Work – Circa 1770.

A beautiful and large veneered wooden box, a piece of regional French cabinetmaking, dating from the 1770s. The four sides are veneered with rosewood, arranged in a four-leaf frieze joined in an open pattern. The lid is decorated with marquetry in a trompe-l'œil style, featuring a background of bottomless cubes. This trompe-l'œil motif, very fashionable in the second half of the 18th century, is a strong marker of the Louis XV/Louis XVI transition period. It can be found in the workshops of Parisian cabinetmakers as well as in certain regional workshops (the Hache family in Grenoble, Couleru in Montbéliard, etc.). The cubic decoration is made from three types of wood: rosewood for one face of the cube, violet wood for the dark face, and green-stained wood for the upper face (very popular in the second half of the 18th century). The brass fittings are cut in the Louis XV style: an openwork keyhole escutcheon, a pull ring, rosettes, and side handles attest to its use as a portable/traveling chest. All these elements are original. The lock, compass, and hinges are also original (the lock no longer works—the key is present). The interior is lined with old wallpaper featuring a blue floral design on a gray background: period paper from the late 18th/early 19th century, but applied later during a restoration (therefore not original). There are a few wormholes, very common on 18th-century pieces; The wood was treated during the restoration of the box. Restored and revarnished box — beautiful shine, crisp marquetry, a refined and decorative piece. Dimensions: Height: 16.5 cm Width: 30 cm Depth: 25 cm