271. 271W A rare Louis XVI period rosewood, amaranth and violetwood veneered desk with flap stamped Nicolas Petit with geometric marquetry. A Louis XVI ormolu-mounted amaranth, tulipwood, kingwood and bois satiné cube parquetry secrétaire à abattant by Nicolas Petit, late 18th century The grey veined fossilized marble top above a long frieze drawer, the fall-front with ormolu rosettes to the angles, with brown leather writing surface enclosing an interior fitted with fourteen drawers above a long drawer with parquetry lining, the lower section with a large coffre with hinged top, the canted angles with simulated fluting headed by chutes, the panelled sides with conforming parquetry divided by a large ormolu moulding, above a central apron and on short shaped legs with pierced foliate sabots, stamped 'N.PETIT' and 'JME', 111cm wide, 42cm deep, 150cm high (43 1/2in wide, 16 1/2in deep, 59in high). Nicolas Petit, Maître in 1761. Provenance Jacques Perrin, Paris, 1971.