Rarely venturing out of my favorite period from the Directory to the end of the First Empire, I sometimes like to offer beautiful furniture from the very great master cabinetmakers of the 18th century.Here is a very elegant secretary in rosewood and amaranth marquetry known as "butterfly wings" from the Transition period, probably between 1765 and 1770, stamped by Léonard BOUDIN (1735 - 1804). Composed of an ogee drawer, two leaves and a notched flap opening onto six inlaid drawers and five compartments. The beautiful quality of the marquetry of the whole of this secretary is added to the delicacy of the original ornamental bronzes. These, perfectly chiseled and in their very beautiful original gilding. Gray veined marble also original. This perfectly restored secretary is in a very good state of conservation. Leonard Boudin is all the more famous for his achievements and the quality of his work than for his completely atypical history. Indeed, poor and illiterate, Léonard Boudin was "discovered" by Migeon who ordered some inlaid furniture from him for his wealthy clientele. Revealing his talent in the eyes of the nobility, Léonard Boudin passed his Masters in 1761. With orders flowing in, the latter, learned by a solid business sense, developed his activity by combining that of Marchand-Mercier. It was important to him to express his success, in a way ... revenge on life. As with most of my art objects and furniture, I am very careful to be able to offer them to you at a very low expert estimate value.