A very elegant ‘console desserte’ with a pierced brass gallery, above a mirrored back and tapering legs joined by an undertier. Veneered overall with a combination of satinwood and rosewood, trimmed with brass. The top’s gallery is formed by brass trimmings and a broader trimming of stylised tulips, a decor that is repeated on the tier below.

This type of furniture in the French tradition is very popular. However, at the end of the 18th Century such furniture must have been quite a rarity in the Dutch interior. Here, furniture pieces were generally multifunctional in nature due to the relatively limited space available in Dutch houses. Yet, we can see that there is no room for a frieze drawer and the marble top that one would expect for a serving cabinet is also missing. Due to the high degree of finesse  and the generous amount of space used for embellishment, one can deduce that this furniture piece must have originally been acquired by a very well-to-do family.