Truly a fascinating piece of French furniture, this period Louis XV (circa 1750) walnut and marble petit buffet has a retractable seat that allows it to be used as a bureau. Notice how the center door has a handle on the façade that enables the seat to be pulled out from beneath the handleless belt drawer.
On each side of the center drawer is another belt drawer, this time with a thick drop-down pull and a highly pierced mount. Beneath each of these flanking drawers is a highly shaped (lockable) door with shapely panels surrounded by deep molding. Although each of the panels is asymmetrical, they are compositionally balanced, as the moldings are mirror images of each other. The middle door is not operational and instead serves as the back of the incurving seat, but it has been carved with deep molding as well, this time symmetrical. A pair of modified block feet in the back and four thick volute feet in front offer support to the buffet. In addition, the pull-out seat has four cabriole legs, although only the front two are visible when the seat is tucked into the buffet. The attractive buffet is topped by an inch and a quarter thick pink, cream, red, and gray marble with luscious quarter-round molding, and the stone mirrors the curvaceous form of the buffet.
Our Louis XV walnut and marble petit buffet or bureau is a remarkable find. It has been wonderfully carved by a Provincial ebeniste and masterfully engineered with the pull-out seat. During the 18th century, furniture that had hidden components was highly sought after, as it provided functional items while saving space and maintaining the aesthetics of the interior. In today’s homes, it would make a fantastic vanity table, writing desk, or buffet.
CONDITION: Strong antique condition. Light nicks and losses, with very light traces of old woodworm. Age separations still visible after old restoration to the marble, with the work being strengthened by a professional more recently. Also more recent repairs and fills to the wood, most noticeably the feet. One key for the two functional door locks. No keys for drawers.
