A Louis XVI Bureau plat stamped LEBEGUE

An important and remarkable Bureau plat inlaid with scales stamped LEBEGUE of Louis XVI period

It opens in front of three drawers juxtaposed inlaid on all their face with an elegant composition of scales in lemon wood and satin. They are equipped with two drawer rings and two keyholes with laurel twists on a solid disk, as well as a leafy keyhole for the central drawer. This drawer, of greater width, but less height allows an easier sitting.
An identical marquetry runs on the side parts and the visitor part.
The frames in satinwood.
It rests on four straight uprights decorated with gilded bronze falls in drapery held by two rings. The tapered legs with re-entrant angles present an oblong reserve in marquetry of lemon tree in a satinwood frame. They are cushioned by a moulded bronze capital and finished with a bronze square shoe, also with re-entrant angles and finished in a flattened ball.
The overflowing tray is encircled by a molded ormolu moulding. It is quarter round in spandrels on the writing part. It is adorned with a tan leather gilded with small irons.

Stamped René-Claude LEBEGUE
Son of Claude-Pierre, René-Claude was born in 1749 and was received master on August 13, 1771 and became in 1778 deputy or adviser of his corporation.

A perfect harmony of two contrasting types of wood
A classical and pure architecture
A parsimonious ornamentation of gilded bronzes
A fluid reading of an elegant modernity

Our desk has great similarities with the one kept at the Château de Chantilly (see reproduction pages 62-63-64) attributed to Simon Oeben and having belonged to the Duke of Choiseul.

Its architecture presents the same classicism (apart from the richness of the bronze decoration, the desk was intended for a princely function).
Our desk is only intended to represent a noble activity.

On the other hand, the decoration of the marquetry is similar.
We had never encountered such a decorative innovation (let's avoid the cardboard box).

If the Duke of Choiseul's desk is attributed to Simon Oeben, ours is signed by René-Claude Lebegue, what could be the link between these two pieces?
Wouldn't the most plausible answer be the order of a merchant?
The first one does not bear a signature, anonymity requested from the master cabinetmaker by a master decorator according to the custom. Example BVRB.

Ours, a less prestigious order, which accepts the collaboration of the cabinetmaker.