This secrétaire is of the “à abattant” type which was immensely popular in the last quarter of the eighteenth century. A abattant is derived from the French word abattre, which means “to put down”. The secrétaire stands on four tapered feet of which the front ones are canted.
This secrétaire is modelled with one drawer above a fall front, enclosing an interior, and two drawers below. The fall front is inlaid with a larger lacquer panel with a landscape full of foliage. The lacquer panel above the fall front is decorated with a landscape and birds, the lacquer panels on the two drawers below the fall front are decorated with flowers. The drawer is adorned with two enamel plaques depicting ships at sea.