Louis XVI cylinder escritoire with marquetry

Westphalia
Walnut u.a.
Louis XVI around 1795

Dimensions: H x W x D: 118 x 116 x 62 cm

Description:
Beautiful piece of writing furniture made in German classicism around 1795. The quality and design are typical for the workshop of the court painter and cabinetmaker Philipp Ferdinand Ludwig Bartscher, who ran a "Meubelfabrik" in Rietberg/Westphalia from 1792-1806.

A very harmoniously proportioned piece of furniture standing on pointed legs and veneered in walnut. The drawers at the bottom are made without visible crossbars and, as was so typical for Bartscher, are marked across the board. The frame of the large field of the lower drawers is decorated with corner leaves. In the centre we see a large vase of flowers. A garland decorates the upper drawer of the base.

The secretary flap has a cylindrical basic shape and thus helped to give the furniture type its name. It is framed in the same way as the two lower drawers. In the centre we see a flowering branch in a round medallion.
Above the flap, there are three small drawers in a row.

By pulling out the work surface, the secretary flap opens automatically to reveal a simple interior with four drawers and four open compartments.

Worth knowing:
Philipp Ferdinand Ludwig Bartscher developed a distinctive style with his furniture, which speaks the clear language of the fine Louis XVI and thus differs from most furniture of the more rural region. He was held in high esteem by the Westphalian aristocracy and so some Bartscher furniture can still be found in the region's castles and museums, including Rheda Castle, Hülshoff Castle and the Museum of Art and Cultural History in the city of Dortmund.
Bartscher's clients included the Prince-Bishop of Corvey, Johann Carl Theodor von Brabeck and the Suffragan Bishop of Osnabrück, Carl Clemens von Gruben. [Source: Stefan Baumeier - Feine Möbel aus Westfalen]

Condition:
Wonderfully refurbished condition. Very high quality basic substance of the wood and the construction. Some photos of the condition before the restoration can be found here.

Price: 11500,- €