Flat Greek-style desk stamped DUBOIS

One desk, one stamp, three cabinetmakers?

The desk we are about to discover, a masterpiece of French cabinetmaking, embodies the culmination of 18th-century Neoclassical taste. The question that immediately arises upon contemplating this exceptional piece is: why three cabinetmakers for a single desk? The answer lies in the complex interplay of succession, talent, collaboration, and opportunism that characterized the craftsmanship of the period.

This flat desk, known as a "Greek-style" desk, is a perfect example of the Louis XVI style. Crafted from a harmonious blend of amaranth, satinwood, kingwood, and light wood stringing, it features three drawers in the frieze, one of which is secret, and is distinguished by its refined decoration of Greek-style friezes punctuated by swirling rosettes in chased and gilt bronze. Its leather-covered top is framed by a gilt-bronze molding. The desk rests on four tapered straight legs, decorated with laurel wreaths in rope and terminating in gilt-bronze sabots. Its two side pull-out slides add a touch of practicality to an already perfectly mastered aesthetic. It is a work of great restraint, whose geometric forms recall the influence of Antiquity and travels in Italy. It is stamped with Jacques Dubois.

Jacques Dubois

Born in Pontoise around 1693, he was one of the greatest Parisian cabinetmakers during the reign of Louis XV. Having worked for many years as a journeyman in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, he earned his master's certificate in 1742 at the age of forty-nine and pursued a brilliant career for nearly twenty years on the rue de Charenton. Cabinetmaker to the King, he worked for the high nobility. In 1752, he became a sworn member of the Guild of Joiners and Cabinetmakers, whose role was to judge the quality of the furniture produced by his colleagues. In 1763, he was tasked with assessing the estate of Jean François Oeben. And after his own death a few months later, an inventory of his work was drawn up to evaluate its influence on the development of the Louis XV style. His workshop on rue de Charenton was taken over by his son René in 1763, who continued his father's work for another twenty years, also enjoying a glowing reputation.

Although it bears Jacques Dubois's stamp, this desk was not made by him, because if we rely on sources for other similar desks, all dated between 1765 and 1770, Jacques Dubois had been deceased for at least three years. His son René took over the business, while retaining his father's stamp.

Thus, it is troubling to find Dubois' stamp on a desk bearing all the characteristics of three desks similar in every structural point to those executed by Philippe-Claude Montigny.

Philippe-Claude Montigny

Having received his master cabinetmaker's certificate in 1766, he was one of the great craftsmen responsible for this piece. Established near the Bastille in his father's workshops, he became deeply involved in the production of these exceptional flat desks, often with the help of his cousin René Dubois. This particular model, which can be found stamped interchangeably by Montigny or Dubois, highlights the collaboration between these two masters, who frequently partnered in the production of furniture for the most prominent collectors and dealers of the time, such as Simon-Philippe Poirier.

It is therefore not surprising that a single piece could be the work of several hands. Philippe-Claude Montigny, renowned for his mastery of the Neoclassical style and the use of high-quality bronzes, is the principal creator of this desk. However, the presence of René Dubois and the possible involvement of Poirier, a renowned merchant-mercer, in the commissioning and distribution of these pieces also contributed to the creation of this magnificent work. One of the most remarkable examples of this collaboration is the desk delivered in 1765 to the Earl of Coventry, which closely resembles the one presented here.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• French Furniture of the 18th Century – Pierre Kjellberg – Les Editions de l'Amateur – 1989
• The workshops Parisian cabinetmakers and joiners in the 17th and 18th centuries – Guillaume Janneau – Serg Editions – 1975
• French Cabinetmakers from Louis XIV to the Revolution – Editions du Chêne – 1989 – Alexandre Pradere

State of affairs report

The desk's structure was in good outward condition, with no play in the joints, and the drawers and slides functioned perfectly. There were a few areas where the veneer was missing. The major alterations, therefore, lay in the heavy soiling of the furniture and the bronze fittings, the detachment of almost all the applied plaques (which were actually held in place only by the screws and nails of the bronze mounts), and… the alteration of the top! Indeed, it had been veneered with a frieze of marbled mahogany during a previous restoration, which clashed completely with the other examples mentioned earlier.

The Restoration

After removing and installing all the bronze mounts, a large number of the added plaques were reattached using fish glue. This was followed by the re-gluing and restoration of veneers bonded with hot glue. The leather and the mahogany veneer of the tabletop were removed. The gaps caused by the dimensional shrinkage of the tabletop planks were filled with wood of the same species (conifer) and glued in place with fish glue.

The re-gluing and veneering restorations having been perfectly carried out without any misalignment, a solvent gel was applied to remove the shellac finish in order to be able to carry out a wax polish more in line with the original finish.

After ultrasonic cleaning, the bronze pieces were returned to their original positions. Then, restored and patinated antique leather was placed on the tabletop. A new square key (a watchmaker's key) was fitted to the locks.

This restoration has made it possible to stabilize, restore, clean and harmonize this testament to the collaboration of several men at the forefront of their time.