17th Century French Walnut Cabinet

17th Century French Walnut Cabinet. This lovey cabinet is in the style of the Grenoble based furniture maker Thomas Hache and either came from the workshop of the master himself or was a contemporary copy made in the Grenoble area in the 17th century. Known as a meuble à deux corps, this sort of cabinet appears to have been a speciality of the leading southern French workshops. It consists of two cabinet sections, divided by a pair of drawers. The top section opens to reveal a single shelf above a series of small drawers. The lower section has just the shelf. The cabinet is veneered throughout in walnut of exceptional colour and figure. The variety of veneers used, and the way that they have been laid is very impressive. The doors have central panelled mouldings and within the cartouches created by those mouldings, the veneers are oyster cut and faceted, laid together to create a flower effect surrounded by quartered veneers for contrast. There are areas of inlaid stringing and contrasting timber. The drawers inside the top cupboard section and the sides have been extravagantly inlaid with complex parquetry. It is of extraordinary quality with a very fine colour and patination.