French Empire Marble Top and Ormolu Mahogany Secrétaire à Abattant

early 19th century, oak secondary, black marble top, projecting upper drawer over fall front panel revealing an upper flush drawer over open compartment and lower fitted drawers, the case with three drawers, half columns, flush sides, all-over ormolu mounts.
54 x 38.25 x 16.25 in.
From the Collection of the late Sterling Boyd, Raleigh, North Carolina
Sterling Boyd was a consummate collector and Southern gentleman. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, he studied art history at Sewanee: The University of the South, Oberlin College, and received his doctorate from Princeton University. He shared his enthusiasm for the fine arts through positions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. Boyd also taught and mentored future art historians at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and later headed the art department at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Following his academic and museum careers, Sterling Boyd channeled his talents for interior design and decoration. His Raleigh apartment was a cabinet of curiosities, each item carefully collected from his world travels and perfectly placed in his jewel box of a home.
Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com

Old but likely later marble top with scratches and small edge chips; fall front door is loose; interior compartment is loose; veneer chips; drawer divider chip above upper base drawer at left corner; shrinkage splits to veneer on fall front door; shrinkage cracks to sides of case.