Small rectangular piece of furniture for sorting correspondence in blackened and polychromed wood, the upper part openworked with four slits and bearing the inscriptions: "papiers à détruire, papiers divers, lettres répondes et lettres à répondre" in foliate scroll surrounds. The front opens to reveal a large drawer decorated with flowers. The waistband is in the form of poly-lobed arches. The ensemble rests on a turned base finished with bronze castors. On the reverse, various inventory numbers and an old label. Napoleon III period. 62 x 48 x 26.5 cm. (minor accidents and restorations).

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.