A rare Louis XVI ormolu-mounted ebony and Japanese black and gilt lacquer secrétaire à abattant circa 1780, stamped twice M Carlin JME

the brocatelle marble top upon a conforming frieze containing a central drawer and mounted with ormolu guilloche enclosing rosettes, the rectangular drop front inset with two seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer panels depicting landscapes and outlined with ormolu frames opening to a fitted interior decorated with trompe l'oeil marquetry, above an inset seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer cabinet fitted with two long and six short drawers framed by ormolu bands molded and chased to match those of the drop front, the chamfered angles mounted with large ormolu rosettes and ribbon-tied hanging olive branches, each side inset with ormolu-framed seventeenth-century Japanese lacquer panels, the base mounted with ormolu rosettes at the chamfered feet and scrolling acanthus flanking a pine cone.  

Giraud, Paris
André Seligmann, Paris, acquired from the above 1905
Confiscated from the above November 1940 (inventory Sel 208) and transferred to the German Embassy, Paris (inventory III, 82) and thereafter restituted March 27, 1946
and thence by descent until sold 
Christie's New York, The Property of a European Collector, May 9, 1985, lot 193

Pierre Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe siècle, 2002, p. 176, fig. C

Ormolu less orange and generally richer in real life than in catalogue illustration. Top with repaired break and with scattered chips and abrasions at edges and corners. Ormolu of high quality, well chased andd gilt. Lacquer with minor scattered dents and fine cracks; some cracks and dents with later infill and restorations. Lacquer also with some rubbing to gilding. Bottom section rebacked. Bottoms of drawers with repaired shrinkage cracks. Some cracks to bottoms of lacquer drawers of bottom section. In good overall condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Martin Carlin (1730-85), maître in 1766, worked exclusively for the Parisian marchand-merciers. He is best known for his furniture decorated with Sèvres porcelain of which he produced around 70 pieces between 1766 and 1778 and those fitted with Japanese lacquer panels. The main part of his output consisted of smaller pieces particularly tables of myriad forms conceived for the luxury market.

An almost identical secrétaire from the collection of the duc de Doudeauville was sold M. Charpentier de Rîbes, Palais Galliera, Paris, December 8, 1964, lot A. A related lacquer bureau plat with cartonnier by Carlin, probably made for comte Nicolas-François Mollien, sold Christie's London, December 9, 1982, lot 75, is illustrated Alexandre Pradère, French Furniture Makers, 1989, p. 345, fig. 404. Another bureau plat with cartonnier of this design but with octagonal legs is recorded belonging to Madame Adélaïde in her cabinet at Bellevue.