Rare two-body piece of furniture in polished steel and gilded lead, with recessed fronts and projecting pilasters incorporating niches decorated with busts and bouquets, opening with two leaves and a drawer, resting on a plinth; (the faux porphyry decoration was brought back at a later date, as were the full-length figures and applied vases; missing). Probably southern Germany, Nuremberg, first half of the 19th century. H. 195 cm, W. 118 cm, D. 45.5 cm Source : Former Edmond Safra collection, Monaco. The structure of this piece of furniture corresponds to a well-known type of Fassadenschrank, commonly found in southern Germany in the 16th and 17th centuries. A walnut example with the same architectural composition is now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York (inv. 05.22.2). It was made in Nuremberg, which has been associated with metalworking since the 15th century.