Secretary, anonymous, c. 1780 - c. 1790
Many desks of this type, veneered with light-coloured woods, were made in the Netherlands. This example is unusual for its large plaquettes of jasperware, a fine-grained pottery that imitates carved stone. The plaquettes came from the factory of Josiah Wedgwood in England. Wedgwood stoneware was very popular in the Netherlands. Perhaps this secretary served as a showpiece for Wedgwood’s agent in Amsterdam.