Offered by Étienne de Roissart
This drop-front secretary from the Louis XVI period, stamped H. Roux, is truly admirable. Crafted with rosewood and amaranth veneer on an oak carcass, it is topped with a Sainte-Anne marble slab, molded with a cavetto edge. This marble harmonizes beautifully with the finely chiseled gilt bronze mounts that adorn the corners, drops, sabots, and the lower apron of the piece. These decorative elements highlight the high-quality craftsmanship of the secretary, whose elegant proportions are also to be commended. The drop-front, covered in cognac-colored leather decorated with gold tooling, folds down to form a writing surface. Inside, the secretary features six small drawers arranged symmetrically around three open compartments above. The lower part of the piece opens with two doors adorned with herringbone veneer.The stamp H. Roux, found beneath the marble top, refers to Hubert Roux, a cabinetmaker who became a master on April 26, 1777. His workshop was located on rue Saint-Nicolas in Paris.
