Lot 40

A LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED AMARANTH, KINGWOOD, TULIPWOOD AND LACQUER MARQUETRY AND PARQUETRY MEUBLE A TRANSFORMATION

PROBABLY BY JEAN-FRANOIS OEBEN

Details

A LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED AMARANTH, KINGWOOD, TULIPWOOD AND LACQUER MARQUETRY AND PARQUETRY MEUBLE A TRANSFORMATION
Probably by Jean-Franois Oeben
The rectangular Chinese lacquer top and moulded frame decorated with a seascape, houses and fishermen, the serpentine raisable frieze-section and lower part veneered with cartouche-shaped panels and to one side with a drawer concealing a leather-lined hinged reading-surface and pen tray and a lower compartment, the lower part veneered on all sides with a central parquetry cartouche framed by scrolled banding, the fall- front quarter-veneered and banded by a moulded border enclosing three panelled long drawers, the lower one when removed hiding a further compartment with sliding top, the angles with central C-scrolled cartouches flanked by foliage and hiding the mechanism for raising the top which is supported on square iron bars, Stamped 'J.F. OEBEN' and 'JME' to the underside
40½ in. (90 cm.) high (closed); 25¼ in. (64 cm.) wide; 20 in. (51 cm.) deep

Lot Essay

Jean-Franois Oeben, maître in 1763.

This sarcophagus-swelled writing-table-jewel-chest, wrapped by Roman acanthus and elegantly serpentined, is further embellished with tablets of golden tulipwood veneer rayed from ribbon-framed mosaic cartouches of basket-weave parquetry. Typifying Jean-Franois Oeben's ingenious and complicated meubles à transformation for which he was famous, this piece was possibly used as a jewel chest with drawers concealed behind a securely hinged fall-front, and as a secretaire mécanique-pupitre with its rising cornice concealing a bureau drawer fitted to its side.

More from Important European Furniture

View All