Beschreibung:

A rare Louis XVI ormolu-mounted ebony and Japanese black and gilt lacquer secrétaire à abattant circa 1780, stamped twice M Carlin JME the brocatelle marble top upon a conforming frieze containing a central drawer and mounted with ormolu guilloche enclosing rosettes, the rectangular drop front inset with two seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer panels depicting landscapes and outlined with ormolu frames opening to a fitted interior decorated with trompe l'oeil marquetry, above an inset seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer cabinet fitted with two long and six short drawers framed by ormolu bands molded and chased to match those of the drop front, the chamfered angles mounted with large ormolu rosettes and ribbon-tied hanging olive branches, each side inset with ormolu-framed seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer panels, the base mounted with ormolu rosettes at the chamfered feet and scrolling acanthus flanking a pine cone. Martin Carlin (c. 1730-1785), maître in 1766 height 4 ft. 2 1/2 in.; width 36 in.; depth 16 3/4 in. 128.5 cm; 91.5 cm; 43 cm