Secretary LXVI stamped Martin Carlin

Restoration of a Louis XVI period lady's writing desk stamped by Martin Carlin JME. The frame is solid oak, with the drop-front and lower door made of softwood. The exterior is entirely veneered with Honduran mahogany, except for the upper edge, which is embellished with a thin strip of amaranth. The interiors are veneered with rosewood, amaranth, and stringing of boxwood and ebony. Of particular interest: the upper interior compartment has never been restored and retains its original finish, a magnificent polish that has preserved its colors and satin sheen.

Note that the lock on the toilet seat and its keyhole were added, as well as the red velvet.

Originally from Freiburg im Breisgau in the principality of Baden in Germany Martin Carlin (c. 1730-1785) obtained his master craftsman's certificate on July 30, 1766, in Paris. He married Marie-Catherine Oeben in 1759, with whom he had three children. She was one of the sisters of the cabinetmaker Jean-François Oeben, for whom he worked as a journeyman. After receiving his master's letters, he moved to the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, to a shop called "Le Saint-Esprit" or "La Colombe," where he worked as a freelance craftsman. Although he never received the title of Cabinetmaker to the Crown, Carlin fulfilled numerous orders for members of the royal family through the merchants with whom he collaborated, such as Simon-Philippe Poirier and Dominique Daguerre. Among his most famous clients were Queen Marie Antoinette, the Countess of Provence, and Mesdames, daughters of Louis XV. During the reign of Louis XVI, Martin Carlin established himself as the master craftsman of pieces adorned with Sèvres porcelain plaques, commissioning directly from the factory. Carlin primarily produced small, delicate, elegant, and feminine furniture: small tables, pedestal tables, music stands, bonheur-du-jour desks, and jewelry boxes veneered in rosewood, amaranth, or ebony. Less numerous and less typical, the cabinetmaker also created a few marquetry pieces depicting flowers and objects.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• French Furniture of the 18th Century – Pierre Kjellberg – Les Editions de l'Amateur – 2008
• The art and technique of French master cabinetmakers of the 18th century – Jean Nicolay – 1956

Regarding our secretary, we find a trace of him in the work of Jean Nicolay, of which here is the illustration and description:

Capable of anything, CARLIN manufactured furniture of classic and impeccable simplicity, such as this secretary (fig.D) belonging to the Simone Berriau collection which was sold for 20,500 francs.

The art and technique of French master cabinetmakers of the 18th century – Jean Nicolay – 1956

State of affairs report

Overall, this secretary desk is in good condition; apart from a few scratches, the sides show no deformation. Besides some re-gluing of veneer "bells" and some losses to the amaranth leaf forming the upper edge of the drawer, the main work will therefore focus on the gap caused by an arch in the lower door and cracks in the door itself due to the dimensional shrinkage of the solid part.

The Restoration

This involved removing the veneer from the lower door to restore the core made of softwood and solid oak. The veneer was then reinstalled and glued in place using hot-applied mammal glue. A mahogany veneer strip was added to the left side to compensate for the reduced width of the veneer. This addition will not be visible as it is positioned beneath the bronze.

The gap in the hinge cheek was glued back together with fish glue and small grafts of sawn, scraped and sanded mahogany veneer before gluing were used to fill in the gaps.

An amaranth veneer graft was made on the edge band of the drawer; it was done with a jeweler's saw in order to preserve as much of the old veneer as possible.

All the locks have been fitted with a custom-made key.

The finished surface was then preserved; the old varnish was simply lightened and regenerated before applying a new layer of varnish with a pad.

The bronzes were cleaned with a diluted EDTA solution and then reattached with their original screws where available. The Sarrancolin marble was simply cleaned and re-waxed.

To see previous restorations : https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/en-ce-moment-a-latelier/

You can find this piece of furniture at Etienne Thuriet Antique Dealer