Louis XIV bureau en pente, c.1750 (ormolu-mounted Japanese lacquer & vernis Martin)

The late 17th Century Japanese lacquer panels decorated overall with court ladies playing Koto and pavilions within a mountainous landscape, inset with ivory flowerheads and gold flecks with gold hiramaki-e and gold takamaki on a roiro ground, the serpentine shaped top, slightly bomb sides and fall-front framed with borders of trailing foliage, rockwork, acanthus and shell-clasps, the fall-front with embossed brown leather writing-surface enclosing a fitted tulipwood-veneered interior with bois de bout marquetry and three spring-activated slides and three drawers, one fitted with white-metal inkwells, the frieze with central shell clasp and similar surrounds, on cabriole legs headed by acanthus-cast angle-mounts with flowerheads, cabochons and acanthus-cast trailing foliate ornament terminating in scrolling sabots