Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretary

Price: $2,780

Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretary was fashioned from hand-selected indigenous oak to emulate the styles set forth by the most recent monarch.  The Neoclassical Revival favored architecture and embellishments inspired by the ancient Greeks and Romans, which is evident on all three facades of this magnificent hand-sculpted piece of French history.  Called a secretaire en abbatant by the French, referring to the slant-front drop down desk surface, this particular example features the classic torchere & carquoise de fleche carved in glorious relief on the main panel surrounded by oak branches with acorns and interposed with an archer's bow, held together by flowing ribbon.  The composition is framed by hand-carved egg & dart molding.  Below is the casework that houses a centered drawer, and encircling the entire casework is fluting with reeds flanked by lotus rosettes and trimmed with beaded molding.  Four tapered, fluted and carved legs provide support.  The desk surface is supported by two pull-out staffs fitted with brass pulls, and opens to reveal no less than nine little drawers inside, plus a work surface plenty sizeable for laptops and tablets.  Much more space-efficient than a normal desk, certainly more beautiful than most, yet just as handy to use!
Circa 1820s
Measures 38.5H x 30W x 19.5D; knee clearance 26H