Oliver Cornish
Sale Coordinator for Furniture, Sculpture, Rugs & Tapestries
Lot 62TP,Y
A late Louis XV ormolu mounted tulipwood, rosewood, bois satine, green stained sycamore and marquetry secrétaire à abattantCirca 1770
3 December 2025, 13:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£3,000 - £5,000
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Thomas Moore
Head of Department
A late Louis XV ormolu mounted tulipwood, rosewood, bois satine, green stained sycamore and marquetry secrétaire à abattant
Circa 1770
Of rectangular outline with projecting flute inlaid angles, inlaid with bois de bout stylised flowerhead-inset interlocking shaped trellis work, the marble top with a cavetto moulded upper edge, above one long spring-loaded frieze drawer inlaid with guilloche interspersed by sand shaded spiral rosettes, flanked by canted oak leaf pendant hung and triglyph cast Corinthian capital angle mounts each with guttae below, over a hinged fall enclosing six compartments and six short drawers, above a pair of doors enclosing one shelf, on stile supports, each front stile mounted by a rosette, with an old paper inventory label to the panelled reverse, 102cm wide x 42cm deep x 144cm high, (40in wide x 16 1/2in deep x 56 1/2in high)
Of rectangular outline with projecting flute inlaid angles, inlaid with bois de bout stylised flowerhead-inset interlocking shaped trellis work, the marble top with a cavetto moulded upper edge, above one long spring-loaded frieze drawer inlaid with guilloche interspersed by sand shaded spiral rosettes, flanked by canted oak leaf pendant hung and triglyph cast Corinthian capital angle mounts each with guttae below, over a hinged fall enclosing six compartments and six short drawers, above a pair of doors enclosing one shelf, on stile supports, each front stile mounted by a rosette, with an old paper inventory label to the panelled reverse, 102cm wide x 42cm deep x 144cm high, (40in wide x 16 1/2in deep x 56 1/2in high)
Footnotes
A related secretaire made by Jean-Francois Leleu, which has similar inlaid interlocking trellis work and comparable guilloche frieze inlay to those of the offered lot, is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Francais du XIIIeme Siecle, 1989, Paris, fig. A, p. 508. However, it is notable that the Leleu example has different angles, albeit actual fluting as opposed to the simulated or inlaid fluting which features on the above. There is also some variance between their respective ormolu mounts; the gilt bronze work on the present piece is of slightly more elaborate and refined design, whilst arguably appears to be of marginally better quality in its casting as well.