A Dutch writing cabinet
Rosewood and tulipwood on oak, oak veneer, mahogany, ormolu and brass mountings, embossed leather, grey marble. Bombé-form cabinet with three drawers on short supports. The upper section with a drop front writing surface and moulded marble top. Containing three arched compartments above 14 drawers surrounding a large, locked central compartment. All three visible faces inlaid with cuboid marquetry. The fall flap with a moulded bronze border, the feet with ormolu rocaille appliques. Minor losses to the veneer. H 164, W 91, D 52 cm.
The Hague, attributed to Matthijs Franses (1726 - 1788), ca. 1760 - 70.
Prior to Reinier Baarsen's publication, this type of furniture was attributed to Abraham Roentgen. Surprisingly, there is no concrete evidence of contact between the two. Abraham Roentgen's desk is very similar to this one, but shows much more mature and and dynamic forms, accentuated by the refined marquetry. The desk offered here differs in that the lower section is an (optically) two drawer cabinet and the writing desk above is rather tall. The fittings are not as elaborately designed as the pieces from Neuwied. Nevertheless, the restrained, tasteful mountings of the Dutch piece lend it a charm of its own.
Literature
Cf. a very similar writing cabinet in Baarsen, Rococo in Nederland, Amsterdam 2001, p. 295 f.