A South German amaranth, ash, yew, elmwood, walnut, stained fruitwood, marquetry and parquetry cabinet, Augsburg third quarter 16th century

the rectangular case fitted with carrying handles, the hinged top decorated with birds and opening to reveal a compartment fitted with a recess and four small drawers, the fall-front and the three other sides decorated with Ruinenarchitectur landscapes, opening to reveal a fitted interior with five dummy drawers to the frieze above three drawers, above one large central drawer flanked by two cupboard doors, above two further cupboard doors opening to reveal three small drawers, flanked by two small drawers, the whole decorated with ruins and animals, on a later ebonised stand

In overall good conserved condition. There is a hairline crack to the left side of the outside of the lid which can easily be filled or left. The hinged metal mounts to the lid have been replaced. There is a small section of veneer missing to the bottom of the rear panel. Old very minor worm damage has been restored with filler throughout. and appears to be no longer active. One of the dummy drawers of the interior is missing its handle. The central dummy drawer has a replaced escutcheon and possibly later mount. The escutcheon to the outside of the fall-front has been replaced. Old minor marks, chips and scratches throughout consistent with age and use. The two small drawers on the bottom appear to have been reveneered and re-engraved. A most charming piece with beautiful detail to the inlaid decoration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature:
R. Baarsen, German Furniture, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1998, pp. 6-15.
Simon Jervis, Printed Furniture Designs before 1650, S. Maney, England, 1974.
L. Möller, Der Wrangelschrank und die verwandten Süddeutschen Intarsienmöbel des 16 Jahrhunderts, Berlin, 1956.

This cabinet with its virtuoso marquetry is a very fine example of the distinctive type of cabinet which emanated from Augsburg in the second half of the 16th century. They were known as `schreibtische' and were in their time considered a luxury item. According to Baarsen, op. cit., `From the mid-16th century onwards marquetry flourished in this city, fostered by the availability of many indigenous woods and the rapid evolution of new production techniques'. Most Augsburg marquetry furniture is decorated with landscapes containing ruins and in 1567, Lorenz Stoer published, "Geometria et Perspektiva" in Augsburg, that depicted ruins for the specific use of cabinet-makers-see for example, Jervis, op. cit.. Baarsen also states, op. cit., that on a few early Augsburg schreibtische dating from the 1560's, an iconographical programme can be identified, with the ruins serving as vanitas symbols.

This cabinet served as a writing desk that could at the same time be used to store precious belongings and confidential papers. The carrying handles at the sides allowed it to be taken on journeys. Various examples are in Museum collections, see for example, the one in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, illustrated by Baarsen, op. cit., pp. 7-8.

A related example, sold Sotheby's, Paris, 17th December 2008, lot 159 (84,750 euros).