*

*
Tree Swallow

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Jean Baptiste Tuart desk

One of my clients is from one of the founding families of Pennsylvania. Her forefather Conrad Weiser (1696-1760) was a very interesting character. In any case my client has some very wonderful things in her possession and one of the things is this French desk.


While one can still find 19th century French furniture like this on occasion, this is an 18th century piece. It was made by the renowned ebeniste Jean Baptiste Tuart of Paris, who earned his maitrise in 1741. Signed in two places, drawer and possibly faintly underneath with a guild mark of JME, which stands for Jurande des Menuisiers-Ebénistes, the Paris guild of furniture makers. It still has its original heavily inked top under this replaced top. Some small veneer losses to right front leg.




The bureau plat measures 27 x 52". I am going to sell it for far under auction estimate. If you know anyone who might be interested in a gorgeous piece of furniture, please let them know.

Call for price.

1 comment:

Wilbur Norman said...

I believe a writing desk of this type is more properly called a 'bureau plat'.

Using this wording means, of course, that a few zeros can be added to the price.