During 1751 - 1754 he worked as compagnon at the workshop of Charles-Joseph Boulle, son of the great ébeniste of Louis XIV, André Charles Boulle, and then independently in premises in the Galleries of the Louvre sublet to him by Boulle.
Oeben worked extensively for Madame de Pompadour: in the inventory drawn up after his death there were ten items awaiting delivery to Mme de Pompadour.