Mechanical cylinder bureau, Neuwied, c.1776-79 (ormolu-mounted and brass-inlaid amboyna, tulipwood, stained sycamore & marquetry)

THE MOUNTS ATTRIBUTED TO FRANÇOIS REMOND, SIGNED 'DR' ON THE CENTRE DRAWER The rectangular top with pierced foliate-cast gallery, chased on the front and reverse, and with paneled plinth angles, above a long cherry-lined frieze drawer with three cut-corner panels set with floral rosettes and flanked by fluted pilasters, above a solid cylinder inlaid with Chinoiserie scenes depicting a group of fishing figures to the centre, flanked by a mother and a child to the left and a man with a lantern to the right, above a gilt-tooled green leather-lined writing-surface pulling forward to enclose a fitted architectural interior with pigeon-holes and three cedar-lined drawers above three simulated drawers, divided with mille raie panels, above a cherry-lined kneehole drawer inlaid with fishing equipment and with fragmentory signature 'DR' beneath the key hole, flanked on each side by panels, one depicting a lady buying from a young peasant, the other with a fisherman and a boy weighing his catch, hinged and fitted with a secret sprung mechanism concealing four further drawers simulated as six drawers and a well with a tambour shutter each, the sides inlaid with parrots resting on ribbon-swags above filled fruit baskets, on square tapering threaded and removable legs headed by floral patterae and with trailing husks, terminating in block feet, the locking mechanism operating in two phases, firstly opening the cylinder and central drawer and secondly opening the secret drawers to either side