Antique transformable furniture, so-called Secretaire à la Bougogne

Dimensions: H x W x D: 79 x 70 x 50 cm, working height 78 cm

Description:
A rare antique desk or secretary, crafted in the Dresden Baroque style in the second half of the 19th century.
This type of convertible piece of furniture is known internationally as a ‘Bureau à Transformation à la Bourgogne’.

When closed, it appears as a chest-of-drawers-style piece on curved legs with fine gilded fittings in the Louis XV style.
The walnut-veneered piece displays striking grain patterns, which are particularly neatly laid out on the closed top panel.
When the front section of the top panel is lifted, a work surface upholstered in black leather is revealed, supported at the front by the drawer beneath it.
The rear section of the top panel can now be pulled upwards and locked into place. This reveals a writing desk section fitted with nine further drawers.

In just a few simple steps, the chest of drawers has now been transformed into a small ladies’ writing desk.

The piece can be placed anywhere in the room, as it is beautifully finished on the reverse side too.

The development of the ‘Bureau à la Bourgogne’ style of furniture dates back to Jean-François Oeben in the mid-18th century.
When the eldest grandson of Louis XV, the Duke of Burgundy, was left unable to walk following a fall from a horse, Jean-François Oeben – who had been appointed the King’s cabinetmaker in 1754 – supplied several pieces of mechanical furniture to the court. These included a table with a pull-out writing section, similar in function to the piece on offer here.

Condition: Restored, in perfect working order.

Price: €5,800