Highly Important Ebonized and Gilt Bronze-Mounted Rosewood Secrétaire À Abattant


IMPORTANT EBONIZED AND GILT BRONZE-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD
SECRÉTAIRE À ABATTANT
Attributed to Duncan Phyfe (1770-1854)
New York c.1820
The oblong white marble pediment top with reeded edge above an upright case with a conforming ebonized knife-edge molding over a gilt bronze-mounted frieze above a gilt bronze-mounted and cut brass inlaid fall front opening to a desk with a leather writing surface and a series of vertically arranged small drawers and pigeonholes separated by gilt-bronze appliqués, centering a mirrored compartment flanked by ebonized colonnetts with gilt-bronze capitals and bases; the desk above a pair of paneled bronze-mounted and cut brass inlaid cabinet doors; the case flanked by a pair of bronze-mounted and veneered cylindrical pillars and raised on carved giltwood and verde-antique decorated foliate and animal paw feet. The back paneled and bearing a brass plaque inscribed: Belonged to John Wheeler Leavitt, made to order for him by French Cabinet Maker, New York, 1830
H: 60” W: 40” D: 19”