A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY WRITING TABLE

CIRCA 1780-85, STAMPED INDISTINCTLY CARLIN JME

Details

A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY WRITING TABLE
Circa 1780-85, stamped indistinctly CARLIN JME
The rectangular grey-veined white marble top within a pierced three-quarter gallery, over one drawer enclosing a gilt-tooled green leather-lined writing-surface opening to a compartment, fitted, on turned legs joined by a rectangular undertier, on toupie feet, with label Collection André Meyer Paris 1970, the escutcheon replaced, veneered on all four sides but lacking ormolu border to reverse of stretcher
29in. (73.6cm.) high, 21in. (53.3cm.) wide

Lot Essay

With its restrained ormolu mounts and dependence on the rich figuring of the mahogany for impact, this table à écrire reflects the 'Grecian' style of the mid-1780's. Executed towards the end of Carlin's career, the feel of this table is similar to that in Japanese lacquer supplied by Carlin for Mesdames at the château de Bellevue, which is now in the Louvre (illustrated in D. Alcouffe et al., Furniture Collections in the Louvre - I, Dijon, 1993, no.83, p.260). Now veneered in ebony, it was first described at Bellevue in March 1786 as 'Une chiffonière de 22. pouces de large, en vieux laque noir avec ornemens de bronze doré d'or moulu et dessus de marbre blanc.

A related table attributed to Weisweiler in thuya was sold anonymously at Christie's London, 2 December 1997, lot 60 (£67,500).

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