Umberto Mascagni Credenza/Sideboard

This wonderful French 18th century demilune (half moon) shaped sideboard or chest of drawers dating back to Louis XVI period (1774 -1791) -stamped by the French cabinet maker Tondeur- features great scale, perfect proportions and stunning high craftsmanship marquetry inlays. Two spacious sans travers drawers on front with antique original cast bronze hand crafted handles and a door on each side revealing a compartment with a shelf, all rests on four square tapered legs with a luxuriously veined Italian marble top featuring a beautiful grain and gorgeous soft colors including different shades of red, yellow, ocher, white and brown. This one of a kind magnificently inlaid commode featuring mother of pearl and bone inserts to enrich the central design and the allegories of music on the sides wich are a marquetry and cabinetmaking works of art themselves. The front houses two drawers with veneered sans travers marquetry with a central medallion masterfully inlaid depicting an unusual and whimsical scene: a fairy-tale rural countryside landscape with an old building that appears to be a church in the background, surrounded by a picturesque avenue of cypress and a monkey in the foreground picking up cocoa fruits from a tree - symbols of good luck and fortune- with a dog at its side. The round panel is finished with oval mother-of-pearl inserts, a ribbon inlaid on top all surrounded by a wreath of flowers and leaves . The inlays on the side doors are equally beautiful, so detailed as to seem painted. On each door, the marquetry is inspired by the theme of music, allegories with both wind and string instruments, sheet music and a hat all gathered in a magical composition enriched by floral inspired festoons, ribbons and tassels. The casework inside shows the mastery of the cabinetmaker and attention to detail, the doors are made of precious citronnier wood framed by an ebony band. This commode of narrow proportion is a wonderful example of 18th century French craftsmanship in storage cabinet making, entirely inlaid, stamped it is an exclusive one-of-a-kind Louis XVI period work of art certainly created for a very demanding and important client now ready to be the antique conversation...

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