A Unique Metamorphic
Secretaire Abattant with Cork Façade
Decorated as a Ruin
German, Circa 1790.The
present secretaire abattant is a metamorphic
masterpiece, where a sleek piece of
furniture is disguised behind a singularly
decorative rustic façade. The exterior
simulates a dilapidated stone structure. A
mechanism must be triggered in order to
transform the piece and reveal the
secretaire à abattant of polished mahogany
beneath, lending it to a rare group of
prized pieces of mechanical furniture
especially popular in the royal or
imperial courts of Europe.