A French Ormolu and Japanese Lacquer-Mounted Mahogany Bonheur du Jour by Emmanuel Alfred Beurdeley, Paris Circa 1880. The upper cabinet fitted with three doors, over a retractable writing slide and two drawers, on quiver-form legs, the reverse of the mounts variously incised BY 45 1/2 in (115.5cm) high, 29 1/2 in (74.5cm) wide, 21in (53.5cm) deep. Displaying sumptuous panels of Japanese lacquer, this charming bonheur du jour by Beurdeley beckons the ancient regime and the tradition of its famous marchand-merciers. Just as Daguerre did for Marie-Antoinette in the 1780s, constantly seeking out unusual combinations of materials and unprecedented models, the Beurdeley dynasty of cabinetmakers was furiously innovative in their designs and use of exotic materials. The present model, based on an original Beurdeley design and described in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts as a chefoeuvre de grace et elegance was exhibited on multiple occasions, including Beurdeley extravagant stand at the world Columbian in Chicago in 1893 (C. Mestdagh, L Ameublement dart francais: 1850-1900, Paris, 2010, pp 157 & 183)