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Lot Essay
The present lot is a variation on the design of the impressive Grand bureau et secrétaire à archives attributed to Simon Oeben (maître 1769). Originally owned by the duc de Choiseul, the desk was bought by the duc d'Aumale at Christie's 1882 Hamilton Palace Sale, lot 878 (£5,565 ) and is currently at the Musée Condé, Chantilly.
A desk identical to the original was exhibited by Paul Sormani at the Paris 1900 Exhibition (see C. Payne, 19th Century European Furniture, Woodbridge, 1981, p. 128). François Linke also produced versions of the desk, both with and without the clock on the cartonnier (see C. Payne, François Linke 1855-1946, The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003, page 212, plate 231).
A desk identical to the original was exhibited by Paul Sormani at the Paris 1900 Exhibition (see C. Payne, 19th Century European Furniture, Woodbridge, 1981, p. 128). François Linke also produced versions of the desk, both with and without the clock on the cartonnier (see C. Payne, François Linke 1855-1946, The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Woodbridge, 2003, page 212, plate 231).