Table Chiffonnière à Secret , Transitional Period , 18th Century

Table chiffonnière à secrets

Transition period, Paris, late XVIIIᵉ century

Rare and elegant Transitional-period secrets chiffonière table, elegantly illustrating the transition from the Louis XV style to the more structured Louis XVI aesthetic.
This precious piece seduces with the excellence of its marquetry, the balance of its proportions and the sophistication of its concealed mechanisms.

The curved top, encircled by a delicate scalloped gallery, is adorned in its center with a remarkable inlaid floral decoration in precious wood, composed of fine contrasting species forming a stylized bouquet of great finesse of execution.
The rosewood and rosewood frieze veneer, arranged in contrasting leaves, enlivens the whole with particularly warm lighting effects.

The front opens with a drawer revealing a compartmentalized interior intended for writing or sewing accessories.
An elegant sliding tray sheathed in red leather allows use as an occasional secretary.
The piece also reveals several secret compartments and concealed devices, testifying to the technical virtuosity of Parisian cabinetmakers in the late XVIIIᵉ century, when the taste for furniture with transformations and mechanisms reached its peak.

The sides and front feature geometric marquetry with scalloped reserves, perfectly representative of the Transition style.
The ensemble rests on four elegantly curved legs, finished with fine ormolu sabots.
The chased bronze keyways and drop handles underline the precious character of this work.

The interior, in oak and fruitwood, reveals careful construction and a remarkable state of preservation.
The piece retains a beautiful patina as well as a pad varnish admirably highlighting the depth and spectacular veining of the precious woods.

An object of curiosity as much as a piece of ceremonial furniture, this chiffonnière à secrets is a refined testimony to the French art of living on the eve of the reign of Louis XVI.
A rare piece, destined for lovers of precious furniture and high-level collections.

French work, Transition period, circa 1770-1780

Materials: rosewood, rosewood, floral marquetry, gilded bronzes
Very good condition
height: 73.5 cm
length: 49 cm
depth: 38 cm