Transition-era Happiness Attributed To Charles Topino

A delightful small bonheur du jour (daylighting desk) from the Transition period, attributed to Charles Topino.
Inlaid in sycamore and rosewood on a violet wood ground.
Charmingly decorated with flowers, vases, cups, and inkwells, reminiscent of the objects belonging to Chinese scholars depicted on Coromandel lacquer screens imported to France in the 18th century.
The tiered section opens with two doors framing a niche and three slim drawers.
The lower section features a central drawer forming a writing surface. All sides are decorated.
Height 109 cm,
Width 68 cm,
Depth 40 cm.

Charles Topino (circa 1742-1803) – cabinetmaker – master craftsman obtained on July 4, 1773.
A prolific 18th-century cabinetmaker and a great creator of whimsical furniture, Charles Topino's renown rests on his opulent pieces and his marquetry known as "utensil marquetry." Among the foremost minor masters of his century, his work is characterized by highly personal and easily recognizable pieces, primarily belonging to the Transition and Louis XVI styles. Marquetry, decorated with vases of flowers, writing desks, and various utensils such as cups, teapots, and bowls—presented in the manner of still lifes—as well as playing cards and books, constitutes the most distinctive feature of his furniture.
These marquetry designs are most often inspired by the borders of Chinese Coromandel lacquer screens, which employ the same motifs evoking the objects of Chinese scholars.
Gathered within oval, round, or square compartments, or arranged in a frieze, the decorations are generally viewed in profile, and their simple carving requires only a small number of pieces of wood, further refined with a chisel for the details.

An identical model is reproduced on page 843 of Pierre Kjellberg's book on Le Mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle (Éditions de l'amateur, 2002) and another is kept at the Château de Champs-sur-Marne.