18th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant – Provenance Adolphus Busch and Brookings Heirs

Secrétaire à Abattant from the estate of heirs to Adolphus Busch and the Brookings family. An 18th century piece made during the reign of Louis XVI. Provincial, fall-front secretary, the shaped top with a single drawer over the drop front opening to an interior fitted with drawers and pigeonholes, the lower portion with two doors opening to a single fixed shelf, raised on short cabriole legs joined by a shaped apron. One drawer fitted with an inkwell. 55 x 37 x 15 in. (139.70 x 93.98 x 38.10 cm.)
This fine piece belonged to Lee Renfrew Wallace and her husband Mahlon Brookings Wallace III, who lived an extremely happy and luxurious life filled with world travels, safaris, collecting, and philanthropy. From backgrounds in race-horse breeding and championship cattle ranching, the socialite couple paid homage to the St. Louis area community in a variety of ways. He was a great-grandson of beer baron Adolphus Busch. His great-grandmother’s brother was Robert Brookings, founder of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. He also was descended from the earliest French colonists of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri.