Alfred-Emmanuel-Louis Beurdeley a pair of tables de salon Paris, circa 1870

amarante, satiné, citronnier, and stained fruitwood marquetry on stained sycomore veneers, each fitted with one large and one small frieze drawer, the small drawer with spring-loaded secret release, one table stamped twice A BEURDELEY / A PARIS to the underside, the other table similarly-stamped once to the underside.

D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIX Siècle, pp. 75-82

C. Payne, 19th Century European Furniture, pp. 33-34

P. Lecoules, Art Mobilier Mobilier Parisien 1850-1900, p. 37, for an illustration of the present model.

P. Arizzoli-Clémentael, Versailles Furniture of the Royal Palace 17th and 18th Centuries, Vol. II, p. 92 and P. Verlet, Le Moblilier Royal Français, Vol. I, fig 8, for illustrations and discussions of the 18th century model by Riesener.

Shown in a line engraving in the Exposition rétrospective de l'union centrale des arts décoratifs, Paris 1882, De Champeau & Others, 'Les arts du bois,' pub. Quantin, 1883, p. 61.

A single version of this table by Beurdeley, conforming exactly to the measurements of the present lot, was sold in the Vente Beurdeley, May 6-9, 1895, lot 281 (3,650 Franch francs).

A highly celebrated model, also called the "table des Muses," with an elaborate marquetry top representing mythological figures of Urania and Calliope, with respective implements of astronomy and poetry, is a copy of the table supplied in 1771for King Louis XVI's garde meuble. Made at a cost of 6,000 livres, it was commissioned by Pierre-Elisabeth de Fontanieu, Intendant et Contrôleur général des Meubles de la Couronne from 1767-83. The cabinet work was made by Jean-Henri Riesener, maître in 1768, fournisseur du Garde Meuble de la couronne from 1774 to 1784. The original is now in the permanent collection of the Musée de Versailles (inv. T510c), on display at the Petit Trianon (see G. van der Kemp, Versailles, London, 1978, p. 230).

This popular model was made by Beurdeley, as in the present lot, as well as Dasson and also by François Linke, under index number 251, an example of which was sold in these rooms, October 26, 2006, lot 20.