Offered by Étienne de Roissart
A Louis XVI period secrétaire à abattant, stamped by the Parisian cabinetmaker Étienne Avril (1748–1791), who produced several pieces of furniture for the court of Louis XVI. His work is referenced in Pierre Kjellberg’s book Le mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle.
This secrétaire is crafted in butterfly-wing marquetry using mahogany, rosewood, and boxwood veneers on an oak carcass. The fall-front panel, decorated in a butterfly-wing motif, is framed by an elegant twisted ribbon inlay border.
The piece is topped with a white marble slab featuring a cavetto molding. Gilt bronze mounts elegantly adorn the corners and key escutcheons, emphasizing the exceptional craftsmanship of the secrétaire. Its refined proportions are further enhanced by the presence of three drawers above the fall-front.
The writing surface is fitted with a vivid orange leather inset bordered by a gilt Greek key frieze. Inside, the secrétaire features six small drawers arranged on either side of three open compartments.
