Crafted with meticulous care, it is adorned with precious woods such as rosewood, stained sycamore, amaranth, hornbeam and elm, demonstrating the craftsman's exceptional skill.

The upper section, elegantly topped with an openwork gallery in chiselled and gilded bronze, opens onto a central niche flanked on either side by two doors decorated with floral vases, a characteristic motif of the Neoclassical period, and a slender central drawer. The doors open with an ingenious push-button system hidden in the drawer. This system is typical of Charles Topino's furniture.

Beneath these elements, a semi-circular tray displays a beautiful still life marquetry, where vases, cups and flowers intertwine in a harmonious composition. Each vase is decorated with geometric and floral symbols, suggesting a work of great finesse. The marquetry decoration follows the circular shape and is framed by a thin band of elm and rosewood surrounded by a gilt bronze moulding.

The belt forms a drawer and incorporates a writing tablet covered in green leather, decorated with a delicate gold filet and a set of three compartments, one of which is made of metal and forms a writing case. The keyhole is in gilded bronze with a stylised foliage decoration.

The ensemble rests on slender, curved legs with finely crafted gilt bronze bases decorated with foliage and garlands.
The legs are joined by an elegant, indented spacer shelf, embellished with a decoration representing various vases and watering cans resting on trays. They are made of light exotic wood and contrast with the red wooden table. Each accessory is also decorated with dot and stripe patterns.  This tray is surrounded by a half-moulding in gilded bronze.

The piece is finished with wraparound feet decorated with stylised foliage.

A rare and refined piece, this bonheur du jour embodies the refined taste of the 18th century, brilliantly combining functionality and luxurious aesthetics. It is an ode to the French art of the end of that century, combining decorative beauty and technical ingenuity.

Charles Topino, who became a master craftsman in 1773, was one of the most talented cabinetmakers of the Louis XVI period. He was particularly renowned for the exceptional quality of his creations. His work was very varied, but stood out for its refined and poetic style, in which floral decorations, still lifes and scenes of everyday objects were depicted with great delicacy.
Unlike other cabinetmakers, who specialised in furniture of all sizes, Topino focused mainly on elegant and functional pieces, with a particular fondness for small items such as flying tables and bonheurs-du-jour: small, decorative and utilitarian pieces of furniture. The latter always took the form of rectangles or ellipsoids. The quality of his furniture and his marquetry work make his pieces highly collectible works of art that can be found in the Louvre and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, for example.

Dimensions: H 91 cm x W 60 cm x D 40 cm.


 

A similar model, with slightly different decoration, is referenced on page 882 of Pierre Kjellberg's renowned Mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle (French Furniture of the 18th Century), published by Éditions de l'Amateur in 2008, as a reference model for TOPINO furniture.