A fine Dutch mahogany and marquetry bureau à cylindre Transitional, last quarter 18th century

the roll top opening to a pull-out baize lined writing slide and a fitted interior with a central tambour sliding door flanked by eleven various drawers and two pigeonholes, above three bombé drawers and on splay feet with gilt-bronze sabots, probably later marquetted with panels and medallions enclosing flowering urns, cornucopiae and various birds

Huis de Kroon near Maastricht

This secrétaire came in possession of one of Maxime Regout's daughters, and thence by decent.

Related Literature: J.M.W. van Voorst tot Voorst, Meubels in Nederland, 1840-1900, p.91-92 ill. 123 en 267.

Petrus Regout, the pioneer Dutch industrialist, in his lifetime aquired property to house his children. One of his sons, Maxime, lived in an 18^th century manor house in Heer, located near Maastricht. The house was typically furbished with a mixture of antique and contemporary pieces. The secrétaire now on offer is a good example of the taste that developed in the 1880’s for elaborately parquetted and marquetted furniture. Since the contemporary pieces and indeed the whole interior was over decorated, the older pieces – like this 18^th century secrétaire – would thus be dressed up with a marquetry of various flowers, birds and butterflies to suit the taste of the times.