French Marquetry Commode Appraisal

Marquetry Inlaid Louis XVI Style Commode or Cabinet

This is a sophisticated Louis XVI style piece, likely a small commode or storage cabinet, featuring extensive decorative woodworking and metalwork. The piece is constructed primarily from a rich honey-toned wood, showcasing book-matched and parquetry veneers across the front panels. Centered on each door is an intricate marquetry inlay depicting a classical urn or trophy overflowing with floral blossoms, executed in contrasting light and darker woods. The cabinet is further embellished with stamped brass or bronze ormolu mounts, including a prominent decorative band running along the top apron, ornate corner brackets on the plinth base, and traditional drop-pull hardware on the central doors. The profile features canted corners, typical of French Neoclassical design influences. The condition appears to be fair to good, with visible evidence of surface wear and slight finish degradation, particularly near the joints and along the base, though no major structural damage or missing inlays are immediately apparent. The craftsmanship suggests a mid-20th-century reproduction of 18th-century French styles, popular for high-end residential interiors. The piece rests on a shaped plinth base with a slight scalloped apron at the bottom center.