This Transitional style piece, known as a “commode sauteuse secretaire” (a long-legged chest of drawers with fold-down writing surface), was crafted during the “Belle Epoque” revivalist wave of the 1880s–1890s, a period when Parisian cabinetmakers reimagined 18th-century designs for a discerning bourgeois and aristocratic clientele. The body is decorated with marquetry in kingwood, a dense exotic rosewood, and tulipwood, having a striking trellis-pattern (AKA: “parquetry à la Reine”) adorning the drawer fronts, sides, and top.
The upper drawer opens to reveal a fitted writing compartment with four small drawers and a pull-out leather writing surface, while the full-length lower drawer offers generous storage. The shaped top is bordered by a gilt-bronze lingotière frame—a refined feature reserved for high-end commissions intended for aristocratic interiors. Additionally, Finely cast ormolu mounts include draped handles with ribbon-tied backplates, foliate corner chutes extending down to detailed sabots, and an elaborate apron mount depicting musical instruments and laurel swags—symbols of culture, learning, and refinement.
The piece has been recently cleaned and refinished with a traditional French polish, restoring its incredible original luster.
Dimensions:
W: 37″
D: 17.5″
H: 38.5″
Writing Surface Height: 29″
