The 'arabesque' sphinx monopodiae adapted from those carved on 'antique' altars (cf. 'An Altar from the Libreria di San Marco' in Henry Moses, A Collection of Antique Vases, Altars, Paterae, Tripods, Candelabra, Sarcophagi & C, 1814, pl.60) relate to those illustrated in C. Percier and P.F.L. Fontaine, Recueil de Décoration Intérieures, Paris, 1812, particularly the 'Jardinière pour la Siècle', pl.x, and the 'secretaire', pl.xx, which further shares the lappetted-moulded drawer. This 'antique' motif was developed into a pier support in an 1804 engraving by George Smith (published in his pattern book, A Collection of Designs for Household and Interior Decoration, London, 1808, pl.121) and in a closely related German design of 1811 (cf. George Himmelheber, Deutsche Möbelvorlagen 1800-1900, Munich, 1988, p.114, pl.307).