Beschreibung:

A rare Sorrento fruitwood, palissander, stained wood and ebonised marquetry double-faced secretaire By Michele Grandville, Sorrento, Dated 1869 Profusely-inlaid throughout with geometric designs, bands of foliage and flowers and variously-shaped vignettes depicting Neapolitan genre scenes and sprays of flowers, the curved top with two hinged flaps, the interior inlaid SORRENTO to the top, above a five-tiered shaped stationery rack, flanked on each side by a curved lidded compartment enclosing a further stationery rack, the fall front concealing a pull-out tray enclosing a hinged music stand, with pierced cresting and rest and inlaid with a panel depicting a peasant couple in a horse-drawn cart, signed in the marquetry SORRENTO/1869 , above a pull-out compartment, the hinged top inlaid with scrolls and inscription FABRICA DI LEGNO/INTARSIATO IN SORRENTO/MICHELE GRANDVILLE and with both sides of a Gold Medal, one inscribed 1862/LONDINI/HONORIS CAUSA , the reverse side enclosing a flip-top velvet-lined writing surface, pen-rest and recesses for inkwells, flanked on each side by a narrow long drawer and with a pull-out inlaid games board and velvet-lined drawer below, the back with a pair of inlaid doors, the reverse of each fitted with an intricate foliate-pierced and velvet-lined stationery rack, the interior with a rectangular panel inlaid with a spray of flowers, above a parquetry-inlaid slide concealing two pull-out compartments to the centre, the upper a vanity box with mirrored top and compartmented interior, the lower a needlework box with velvet-covered pin-cushion to the reverse side of the parquetry lid, flanked on each side by three drawers, above two further long drawers disguised by sans traverse inlay, the sides each decorated with two pictoral vignettes, on shaped square tapering legs joined by an 'X'-shaped stretcher Closed: 43¼in. (109.8cm.) high; 22in. (55.8cm.) wide; 16in. (40.6cm.) deep