17th Century Money Changer's Office

Rare and very beautiful MAZARIN Money Changer's desk Rare money changer's desk very richly decorated in violet wood veneer and olive wood marquetry in end grain in brass fillet frames. It opens with a flap revealing two drawers. On the front, four drawers and a door to store a chest. It rests on eight sheathed feet joined by an H-shaped spacer. French polish Dimensions closed: H 81.5 W 85.5 D 50.5 cm Louis XIV period End of the 17th century From money changer to banker The banker's role has always been to negotiate the exchange of currencies arising from the exchange of products between merchants. The banker, a money trader, practiced this profession behind a counter called banco in Italian, hence the origin of its name. This counter was transported from the town shop to the market stall, which explains the always small size of this piece of professional furniture. Established in almost all cities in France, money changers were essential to the smooth running of commercial exchanges, even having their location determined in the capital, on the Grand Pont or Pont au Change. With only one practicing in Paris in 1609, the brotherhood ceased to exist, and the bankers succeeded them, without however abandoning the furniture essential to the exercise of their profession: the table for the most modest or a real money changer's desk for the richest. When a money changer or banker went bankrupt, lost all or part of the money of his clients and associates, the bench where his business was transacted was symbolically broken. And it is from this broken bench, "banca rotta" in Italian, quickly contracted into bancarotta, that we get the name bankruptcy. Money changers' tables have a sliding or pivoting top as well as drawers and interior compartments to carry out currency exchanges out of sight of customers. A piece of commercial furniture, the money changer's table underwent many modifications linked to those of the profession it served while following stylistic and artistic developments. Thus, in the 17th century, the evolution of the profession of money changer towards that of banker, combined with the taste of the time, saw these table-desks become more refined at the request of the clientele. A utilitarian piece of furniture par excellence, it is rare for this furniture to bear the stamp of a master, although several of them are listed in the 18th century for having produced such works.