Dreweatts 1759
Lot 230
A Louis XVI style mahogany, parquetry and ormolu mounted bureau à cylindre, Paris, late 19th century/early 20th century, after a model by Jean-Henri Riesener, possibly by François Linke (model 100), the top applied with a three quarter gallery above a fall with a ribbon-tied oval marquetry musical trophy medallion, the interior with an arrangement of sixteen pigeonholes and an automatically activated writing panel, the frieze centred by a concealed drawer with an ormolu tablet of putti amongst clouds flanked by flower-filled basket mounts and scrolled handles to the lateral drawers with lock plate possibly stamped to the reverse CT LINKE/SERRURERIE/PARIS and numbered 100, the sides and back with further plaques emblematic of the arts, on tapered square legs ending in acanthus cast feet, bearing the stamp of Edwards & Roberts to the central door, 110cm high, 108cm wide, 62cm deep This secrétaire à cylindre in the Louis XVI style, is a version of another bureau featuring mother-of-pearl trellis marquetry, made by Riesener for Marie-Antoinette's boudoir at Fontainebleau in 1786. The trophy and putti tablet on the present lot were possibly based on the ormolu medallion accompanying a tablet of festive putti, on Marie-Antoinette's secrétaire à abattant, also by Riesener, in the Prince Demidoff Collection, sold San Donato, 22 March 1870, lot 282. An identical bureau à cylinder by François Linke sold Christie s London, 29 September 2005, lot 183 (aggregate price £16,800) and further very similar example by Alfred Beurdeley sold Christie s New York, 14 - 15 April 2011, lot 135 (aggregate price $38,500).
