Rare Turning Louis XVI Desk Chair with Leather Upholstery

CHRF 18-312
Joseph Gegenbach, dit Canabas (1712-1797), maître in 1766.
Stamped Canabas
Size: 33 ½” high x 22 ½” wide x 25 ¼” deep (approx. 85 x 57 x 64 cm.)

A very rare turning Louis XVI mahogany desk chair with an arched leather backrest. The leather seat is set on a swiveling mechanism supported on the circular molded mahogany seat rail; with its original back and seat caning; above tapered and fluted legs, ending in ball feet.
Joseph Gegenbach, dit Canabas, was of German origin, came to Paris in 1745 where he initially worked for Jean-François Oeben and Pierre Migeon. The accounts of the latter, who was also a marchand reveal that Canabas was supplying him with furniture on a regular basis, before he became a master in 1766. He subsequently established himself in Faubourg Saint-Antoine, and supplied both his private clientele and other marchands. He specialized in small pieces of furniture, mainly utilitarian and practical pieces often of innovative conception. His furniture was mainly executed in the best possible solid mahogany with a few exceptions where he used mahogany veneers. This chair was used as a model for chairs for the Assemblé National.