.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Godefroy Dester, maître in 1774.
Conceived in the refined late Louis XVI style of circa 1785-1790, this elegant secretaire can be attributed to the ébéniste Godefroy Dester based on comparison with several of his stamped pieces. Dester executed a number of small-scaled secretaires in beautifully figured mahogany or thuya and embellished with delicate ormolu mounts, which relate to those by Adam Weisweiler and Guillaume Beneman. However, Dester's oeuvre has its own distinctive style, which sets him apart from his contempories. The present secrataire relates to two others stamped by him, which have a closed base section. The first, sold from the collection of the Marquess of Hamilton, Christie's, London, 8 April 1976, lot 49, has the same construction of the fall-front, which hinges and slides thus supporting the writing-surface withought metal supports to the sides. A futher closely related example, which is less richly-mounted than the present lot, was sold, Christie's, London, 7 December 1978, lot 110. Another example, in thuya and also with an open base section, was sold, Christie's, London, 11 June 1998, lot 20.
Conceived in the refined late Louis XVI style of circa 1785-1790, this elegant secretaire can be attributed to the ébéniste Godefroy Dester based on comparison with several of his stamped pieces. Dester executed a number of small-scaled secretaires in beautifully figured mahogany or thuya and embellished with delicate ormolu mounts, which relate to those by Adam Weisweiler and Guillaume Beneman. However, Dester's oeuvre has its own distinctive style, which sets him apart from his contempories. The present secrataire relates to two others stamped by him, which have a closed base section. The first, sold from the collection of the Marquess of Hamilton, Christie's, London, 8 April 1976, lot 49, has the same construction of the fall-front, which hinges and slides thus supporting the writing-surface withought metal supports to the sides. A futher closely related example, which is less richly-mounted than the present lot, was sold, Christie's, London, 7 December 1978, lot 110. Another example, in thuya and also with an open base section, was sold, Christie's, London, 11 June 1998, lot 20.