k, and of
Gouthiere's skill in mounting, are impossible to reproduce in a woodcut.
It is described as follows in Christie's catalogue:--

"Lot 303. An oblong writing table, _en suite_, with drawer fitted with
inkstand, writing slide and shelf beneath; an oval medallion of a trophy
and flowers on the top, and trophies with four medallions round the sides:
stamped T. Riesener and branded underneath with cypher of Marie
Antoinette, and _Garde Meuble de la Reine_." There is no date on the
table, but the secretaire is stamped 1790, and the commode 1791. If we
assume that the table was produced in 1792, these three specimens, which
have always been regarded as amongst the most beautiful work of the reign,
were almost the last which the unfortunate Queen lived to see completed.

[Illustration: The "Marie Antoinette" Writing Table. (_Formerly in the
Hamilton Palace Collection._)]

[Illustration: Bedstead of Marie Antoinette, From Fontainebleau.
Collection "Mobilier National." (_From a pen and ink drawing by H.
Evans._) Period: Louis XVI.]

The fine work of Riesener required the mounting of an artist of quite
equal merit, and in Gouthiere he was most fortunate. There is a famous
clock case in the Hertford collection, fully signed "Gouthiere, ciseleur
et doreur du roi a Paris Quai Pelletier, a la Boucle d'or, 1771." He
worked, however, chiefly in conjunction with Riesener and David Roentgen
for the decoration of their marqueterie.

In the Louvre are some beautiful examples of this co-operative work; and
also of cabinets in which plaques of very fine black and gold lacquer take
the place of marqueterie; the centre panel being a finely chased oval
medallion of Gouthiere's gilt bronze, with caryatides figures of the same
material at the ends supporting the cornice.

[Illustration: Cylinder Secretaire, In Marqueterie, with Bronze Gilt
Mountings, by Gouthiere. (_Mr. Alfred de Rothschild's Collection._)
Period: Louis XVI.]

A specimen of this kind of work (an upright secretaire, of which we have
not been able to obtain a satisfactory representation) formed part of the
Hamilton Palace collection, and realised L9,450, the highest price which
the writer has ever seen a single piece of furniture bring by auction; it
must be regarded as the _chef d'oeuvre_ of Gouthiere.

In the Jones Collection, at South Kensington, there are also several
charming examples of Louis Seize _meubles de luxe_. Some of these are
enriched with plaques of