Demonstration of the Roentgens' Dressing Table (Poudreuse)

See a demonstration of how this desk operates.
When closed, this table may not seem like one of the most complex pieces of European furniture ever made. However, once opened, its concealed drawers and hidden features are exposed, and the entire piece transforms into a dressing table, orpoudreuse. Scholars believe it was commissioned as a wedding gift from Abraham (1711--1793) and David Roentgen (1743--1807) by Friedrich August III, Elector of Saxony, to his bride in 1769.
This table is from Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt, and is on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the exhibition Extravagant Inventions: The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens

[@SKF358]

"Friedrich, I just need a bit more lipstick. Give me 25 minutes, and I'll find it in my new dresser you gave me."

[@davidalexander5963]

LOL!!!

[@IrishAnnie]

Hilarious!

[@writeract2]

A work of art in all its majesty - nothing today compares and this was 300 yrs ago - 1769.

[@Uufda651]

... smartphones

[@writeract2]

@@J5X7 pardon?

[@CaskStrength777]

I just love that this exists. The non square drawers and non linear hinges give me tons of design ideas for so many things. All Roentgen works are pure mechanical inspiration to me

[@ej3016]

the craftsmen who designed this were just showing off 😃😉 I’d need a ladies maid just to help me remember what was where 😂🤣

[@rebeccahock_art]

You’d probably need a maid on standby just for this table! 😂

[@Exiide89]

Perhaps a ladies maid was a standard requisite at that time.

[@fryguy7967]

its like the Swiss army knife of tables

[@ozziewarrens8804]

When craftsman took true pride in their work.

[@IrishAnnie]

I can just see everyone in the workshop gathering around for show and tell....

[@Kuchenwurst]

Don't they do that anymore where you live? That's sad.

[@roderik1990]

It's a custom item made for royalty/rich clients. Common furniture just doesn't compare. Nothing to do wth craftsmanship then vs now.

[@charlottaahmed4486]

Elaborate chest/table configuration. Gorgeous marquetry, etc. A museum piece in any era. A furniture piece so costly, few could afford it.

[@Simond577]

Lady to the maid: could you get my necklace from the dressing table? Table: I'm going to end this woman's whole career.

[@juliam.mallen3181]

I'm in total awe of his respect for this beautiful antique! A true expert in the art of careful mindful exhibiting!

[@lmarti204]

A work of art and craftsmanship. No way would this be reproduced today ...sadly.

[@RioMuc]

Funny that in a time when (wealthy) people had really spacious houses, they developed furniture that would be better used nowadays, when the majority lives in small apartments.

[@jamescarlton6016]

Thats wonderful. Pure genius. Furniture like this was made with such quality. Its beautiful!

[@lkayh]

I always wanted something with secret compartments.

[@macmac8249]

I can’t get over the hardware on this piece. Workmanship extraordinaire.

[@christyann]

The craftsmanship back then was far superior to todays.

[@sophiahuber4756]

Wow, what a gorgeous piece of art!

[@soulrpower3031]

Exquisite inlay design and ormolu. Beautiful choice of woods, too. Magnificent

[@queensrule4450]

This would have benefited with a narration. Fascinating, but one had to draw one's own conclusion about what each area would have been used for aside from the obvious.

[@launabanauna8958]

I concur!

[@Uufda651]

100% would forget where I put my stuff in this

[@nelsonx5326]

It turns into 14,000 cubic feet of storage.

[@launabanauna8958]

Absolutely magnificent!

[@dianewade2024]

I love the Decorative Arts area in the Met - please do more of these!!

[@Helen-us1ly]

So beautiful.

[@czroberts3806]

Precision is nothing without white gloves … The White Glove treatment is just what this secretive masterpiece deserved -

[@michaelmontagu3979]

Precision is compromised by wearing gloves. The current thinking is that clean hands are the best way to handle most precious objects. Gloves make the hands less sensitive and it's easier to drop things. Also specks of grit etc can get stuck in gloves and could potentially damage the surface of a piece. Gloves are often just worn for handling silver because the oils in hands can encourage surface discolouration. I dare say this thinking will change again in a few years.

[@robertafierro5592]

I j7st love how carefully he opens yhe drawers..these pieces of furniture are masterpieces!

[@LaineyBug2020]

My soul can not contain how much I need to open all the things!

[@flipflopsguy8868]

My late grandfather was a antique furniture repair and refinisher before it became unfashionable in the sixties and seventies and i remember all the old wood furniture and when you opened that drawer I remember the smell of old wood and finishes just like I was there.

[@designsonyouinparis]

Breathtaking!

[@Snail_Nailz]

Wait come back...Is that a mirror?! I wanna see more 🥺😭

[@gkindustrialmachine1]

Lots more to that's not shown 😒

[@launabanauna8958]

I know right?!

[@zoe1972]

That is one amazing piece of furniture.

[@SoneBlink]

I can't believe the ignorance of some people in the comments. This is not an Ikea furniture, is ART. Also the secrets compartments were greatly appreciated because people like today wanted privacy and to hide things.

[@BushImports]

The furniture is really elaborate and neat.

[@JessHull]

I bet this was very functional back when men and women wore all kinds of crazy makeup and wigs and ornate clothing

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

It’s a misconception that women wore wigs back then, actually. But they did dress their hair up very elaborately, and wear ornate clothing...so this set would have been very useful back then! For the exceptionally wealthy, getting dressed and ready for the day (makeup, hair, etc.) was actually ceremonial - they would do it in front of people, and often while taking lessons or playing instruments.

[@jpsplat]

dude had a nice table

[@RamdomRando]

Table from the past : compartments for everything Table from ikea: a block

[@roniquebreauxjordan1302]

...was thinking the same thing. .

[@elainesensiper4812]

Tables from the past, only wealthy can afford, tables from Ikea, hey!, I can afford that!

[@roniquebreauxjordan1302]

..you can find these at all price points. ..you have to hunt for them. ..Belgium was great for antiques in warehouses..

[@saa82vik]

This table wasn't made for us peasants: ikea's are.

[@theparijat1000]

Tbh this gives me an idea that we can with some diy make/upgrade some of our furnitures. Would not cost a ton too.

[@itsacarolbthing5221]

Breathtakingly beautiful. Toiletries, skincare, make-up and some jewellery all in one place. Sigh.

[@patriciau6277]

Lovely. Shame you don’t get to see ALL of the secrets in the pieces.

[@cadavis5314]

Was there supposed to be sound with this?

[@MrPisster]

I love history and wonder about why they would need so many tiny drawers and what was kept in them. Obviously sitting here in my t-shirt, shorts and flipflops we don't dress the way they did then, but I'd like to understand more about the daily life of those in the past.

[@caligulalonghbottom2629]

hair pins, places to store letters, little trinkets, jewelry, etc.

[@nancyyonce2906]

IT IS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU

[@raeesterlina6941]

Please do it again but with sound so we can hear the fantastic mechanisms and sliding wood sounds

[@joysgirl]

It's the Fabergé egg of dressing tables.

[@littlelady2473]

For a little thing, it sure has a lot of storage and compartments.

[@neilmaccallum590]

Wow... so very impressive

[@edwardmorley5273]

Just so very beautiful and intricate.. Try and find something of similar quality today

[@ericak3118]

Beautiful !

[@iviscuza4046]

UNA MATAVILLA. HECHA POR MANOS EXTRSORDINARIAS

[@skinheadbrianvonr4716]

+The Met : i don't understand why this video is (so obviously) cut short. it IS referred to, in your own title, as a "dressing table" and yet, virtually nothing in that respect is shown -- apart from the incidental view of the mirror, which is neither spotlighted (like the writing surface), nor is it even touched, let alone raised as it should be, to make a dressing table a dressing table. we were shown how this table transforms into a desk, NOT how it transforms into a DRESSING TABLE. the other Met videos i've seen are complete & wonderful & show the objects to their fullest glory. but this one falls amazingly short of that. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF THE DEMONSTRATION?!! where is the REST of this video?!

[@libbylandscape3560]

Beautiful.

[@grittykitty8005]

This would look nice in my bedroom .

[@normanzurich2781]

The magnificent of french art

[@tobias9428]

in this case German art.

[@fan2jnrc]

@@tobias9428 But in the French taste... ;)

[@ccoeurjoli]

Waouh !!!! Fabuleux 🤩

[@lukethomas658]

Was the piece with green fabric both to play games and a music stand? Fascinating, love this content!

[@HouseOfAliShali]

It’s an 1800’s bank safe. If you were that wealthy you would need not only locks and keys to keep your valuables, but secret, hidden compartments. 100% this is why it was made.

[@tytugithydehb]

fine, fine, very good then. Now, how much you want for it?

[@sylviecharlot2474]

vraiment mille mercis -au grand chateau -

[@justingutierrez3196]

love this

[@ultimateempress1739]

This is why you want to be rich. So you can commission stuff like that.

[@lostpockets2227]

you don't have to be rich, people make these things all the time

[@canweng5546]

glorious

[@lindamclean8809]

Wonderful

[@phenexgaming6094]

Realy nice

[@MaelstromTranquil]

Now if only David Lundell could get his hands on this.

[@amandarossouw493]

Genius 👍

[@jeffreyverspaget4353]

Beautiful I love it gr Jeffrey 🍀🌞☕😘🌴

[@solidsnake9332]

I hope to build pieces just like this.

[@032319581]

How interesting.

[@3815utah]

We can make it, the problem is among those who would like it, who's got the money...

[@caligulalonghbottom2629]

Jonathan Charles makes metamorphic dressing tables today which are much more efficient but still beautiful, one that he does has mother of pearl inlays and retails for a bit over 5k dollars

[@englishincontext4025]

The table is a marvel - though we have to assume the rich in those days had PLENTY of time on their hands. But even better than the table are the hilarious comments. People can be so witty.

[@KH-qy7fm]

The only difference between this and an IKEA dressing table is that this one has 3 GOLD screws left over.

[@johnhayes6414]

What types of wood was used for this. And what types of finish

[@KEVINCELLULAR]

They always find something like this on Storage Wars, hidden behind stained mattresses and bags of trash.

[@umpteenexpression530]

Ok but how much weight could that support?

[@jab6872]

They sure knew how to utilize space back then.

[@aidanf8632]

You would think the met would have a better video camera and optical stabilization

[@khalelahb]

Hey, he wasn’t finished 😕

[@Yaravis]

33 people prefer Ikea

[@auntmayme8119]

Is it portable?

[@Pynaegan]

Not worried about the price....I'll take three of them.

[@baileysbootstraps8170]

Sorry. Just made some only got two left !

[@Helen-us1ly]

May it have been used for traveling, to conceal all of Madam's needs?

[@Cynthia_Cantrell]

If these pieces still had their energon, they'd be able to transform by themselves.

[@maira5755]

Sound?

[@moosefactorymullet]

Clearly “the object” gifted to Stephen Maturin from Diana Villiers.

[@Politik-mit-Kopf]

Is the height electronically adjustable?

[@silliaek]

My desk has a pull out keyboard tray

[@malvarezv97]

Very decent table. Not great, not terrible 3.6/10

[@janetplanet8746]

💜

[@Cheyennep]

But what if you’re in a rush

[@theodoranorton4779]

What, no music?

[@magicman9486]

I am a cabinet maker of 40 years and i doubt i could make that.

[@ALEXANDERDALEZ]

Why is this video mute!?

[@andreatthenight3052]

Because the video is nearly 10 years old, and cameras didn’t have mics back then.

[@coloradostrong]

@@andreatthenight3052 What?

[@karensullivan5438]

Wow

[@Alkinoospapa]

Could I buy furniture like this, and how?

[@tigerwa]

+Alkinoospapa You would have to commission a master cabinetmaker to make you one.

[@caligulalonghbottom2629]

Yes you can. Google Jonathan Charles duchess metamorphic dressing table. Its a bit smaller and in the form of a steamer trunk but has mother of pearl inlay and several swing drawers and cubbies, a place to store jewelry, mirror, etc.

[@danifel8]

HMMM i forgot where did i put the...

[@farquarius5027]

To think they only made 3.6 of them

[@solidsnake9332]

I matchable, even by today. All by hand.

[@keelyguillot4184]

Clearly furniture was made better in the past!

[@user-fp3bf4mv2b]

Это у тебя работа такая - открывать и закрывать шкапчик?

[@jdsb-3707]

I bought one like that at IKEA

[@Frickitall]

Ain't nobody got time fo'dat!

[@nepalartshop]

ohu fantastic tables unique for home decor

[@wollaminfaetter]

@IKEA are you watching?