Fine Gueret Freres Marble-Mounted Walnut Cabinet on Stand in the Renaissance Taste, third quarter 19th century, with the firm's stenciled label, the scrolling broken-arch pediment centered by a carved finial with serpent handles, the frieze with intricately carved trophies, over a pair of glazed doors flanked by fluted capitals, and a pair of doors, the panels of each door with allegorical figures depicting the sciences, one marked "Physica" and the other "Chymia", on a base of breakfront form, with a band of drawers, each with a fold-out face and opening to reveal fitment as a desk, the central door with an elaborate nickel lock plate engraved "Gueret Freres Fab ts de Meubles Paris", raised on tapering columns with Ionic capitals, the lower shelf with parquetry veneers, raised on bun feet, adorned throughout with panels of Griotte Rouge and Vert Patricia marble, h. 95", w. 72", d. 28". Gueret Freres, from its inception in 1853, attended numerous international exhibitions and fairs. Among their honors was an award at the 1867 Universal Exposition for perfection in the fabrication of carved furniture. Their works are now in a number of important collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, and the Canadian Center of Architecture in Montreal. The quality of their work was recognized in the United States, where the leading decorative arts firm of Herter Brothers engaged the firm to contribute to its commissions, most notably Thurlow Lodge, the Milton Slocum Latham residence in Menlo Park, California. The stenciled label lists the firm's address as 216 Rue de Lafayette, suggesting this piece was crafted sometime after 1870 when they took residence at that address.