Louis XVI Secretary by G. Kintz, Late 18th Century

Details

Description

Very narrow antique secretary in the shape of a chiffoniere

paris
mahogany
late 18th century

dimensions: h x w x … Read more Very narrow antique secretary in the shape of a chiffoniere

paris
mahogany
late 18th century

dimensions: h x w x d: 140 x 53 x 36 cm

:
exceptionally delicate classicist writing desk in the shape of a weekly chest of drawers, a so-called chiffonniere or semainier.

the body of the cabinet stands on four tapered round feet fitted with brass rings.
on top of this, we see fluted pilaster strips, which serve as cleats and are therefore an essential part of the furniture construction. They flank the seven drawer fronts, which are fitted with the original louis xvi pull rings.
on closer inspection, three of the drawer fronts turn out to be panelling for the forward-folding secretary flap. This is covered on the inside with the original punched leather and presumably served as a workplace for the lady of the house. The interior consists of four small drawers for organising and two wide open compartments, which were probably filled with volumes.

the piece of furniture is very well crafted and the choice of wood also testifies to the hand of an experienced master. The stamped signature "g. Kintz" can be found on the back left stud of the piece of furniture.

worth knowing:
with its width of just over 50 centimetres and its very shallow depth when closed, the piece of furniture could have originally served as a pillar piece of furniture, meaning it could have been placed on the wall surface between two windows or doors.
it is also possible that it originally had a counterpart in the form of an actual chest of drawers, so that the two pieces of furniture together would have created a balanced symmetry in the room.

condition:
refurbished, authentic condition suitable for everyday use. One original key is preserved, others were added in the course of restoration.

please compare the following specialised literature:

pierre kjellberg - le mobilier français du xviiie siècle - dictionnaire des ébénistes et des menuisiers p. 505

denise ledoux-lebard - le mobilier français du xixe siècle - dictionnaire des ébénistes et menuisiers p. 388 this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less