18th Century French Louis XVI Period Secrétaire à Abattant

Exceptional French Louis XVI Period Secrétaire à Abattant with Parquetry Detailing and Marble Top. This outstanding piece of furniture is veneered primarily in amaranth and tulip wood with a large number of parquetry motifs used throughout. The white and grey marble top sits upon a frieze incorporating a drawer decorated with trellis pattern quatrefoil motifs below a dentilled border. The fall front is decorated with chevrons alternating with lines of stringing and divided in the centre by horizontal ribbon-type twisting parquetry. This decoration is repeated to the sides of the piece and the chamfered pilasters, which run the whole length of the cabinet. The feet have parquetry stringing and joined to a shaped apron. The interior consists of drawers with the fronts having vertical strung decoration and contrasting dark and light inlay, and a nice configuration of pigeon holes. Designed as a writing cabinet for a grand French house, this piece is outstanding both in terms of the quality of construction and its decorative appeal. An exceptional and impressive piece of inlaid furniture. An incredible amount of workmanship has gone into making this cabinet.