Thomas Moore
Head of Department
Lot 29TP
A French late 19th century ormolu mounted mahogany and bois satine parquetry bureau a cylindre or cylinder bureau after Jean-Henri Riesener and Adam Weisweiler
17 November 2021, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £5,100 inc. premium
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A French late 19th century ormolu mounted mahogany and bois satine parquetry bureau a cylindre or cylinder bureau
after Jean-Henri Riesener and Adam Weisweiler
Circa 1880, with lozenge inlaid trelliswork to the front, rear and each end, the pierced guilloche brass gallery above three frieze drawers each mounted with bead-and-reel panelling, over a fall with conforming panel mounts, enclosing a satinwood veneered interior comprising three pigeon holes and three short drawers, flanked by spiral-wrapped floral mounted reeded angles, above a writing slide, with a central secret catch-activated and spring-loaded drawer inset with an ormolu relief plaque depicting music-making putti, flanked by two short deep drawers, on angled ormolu legs each modelled as a herm tapering figural column of the goddess Flora with a basket of flowers balanced upon her head, cast with stylised foliate and tasselled floral pendants, on elongated spiral fluted sabots, with a shaped interlacing stretcher mounted with a central sunflower rosette, 93cm wide x 58cm deep x 112cm high, (36 1/2in wide x 22 1/2in deep x 44in high)
Circa 1880, with lozenge inlaid trelliswork to the front, rear and each end, the pierced guilloche brass gallery above three frieze drawers each mounted with bead-and-reel panelling, over a fall with conforming panel mounts, enclosing a satinwood veneered interior comprising three pigeon holes and three short drawers, flanked by spiral-wrapped floral mounted reeded angles, above a writing slide, with a central secret catch-activated and spring-loaded drawer inset with an ormolu relief plaque depicting music-making putti, flanked by two short deep drawers, on angled ormolu legs each modelled as a herm tapering figural column of the goddess Flora with a basket of flowers balanced upon her head, cast with stylised foliate and tasselled floral pendants, on elongated spiral fluted sabots, with a shaped interlacing stretcher mounted with a central sunflower rosette, 93cm wide x 58cm deep x 112cm high, (36 1/2in wide x 22 1/2in deep x 44in high)
Footnotes
The upper part of the present lot is modelled after a magnificent parquetry cylinder bureau inlaid with mother of pearl which was supplied to Marie Antoinette by the renowned cabinet maker, Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806). Provided in 1786 for the Chateau de Fontainebleau, this impressive piece of furniture was housed in the Royal boudoir. During the latter part of the 19th century the display of Riesener's original at l'Exposition de l'Union Centrale des Arts Decoratifs prompted a number of copies and variants to be produced by the most prominent ebenistes of the period, including by such figures as Linke, Beuderley and Dasson.
The lower section of the offered bureau a cylindre conforms to both the legs and stretcher featuring on an exceptional writing table made by the celebrated cabinet maker, Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820). It was provided in 1784 to the Garde Meuble de la Couronne by the marchand mercier, Dominique Daguerre. Whilst belonging to Marie Antoinette, the bureau plat was located in her Cabinet Interieur at the Chateau de Saint-Cloud, however thereafter it was given by the Queen to her close acquaintance, Madame de Polignac. Following the Revolution this 18th century table was sold, before its rediscovery by the Prince de Beauvau (d. 1864) in a marchand's store on the Quai Voltaire in 1840. Subsequently bought at auction by the Empress Eugenie who kept it in the Salon Bleu at the Tuileries, where she held her various audiences. The Empress, who was famed for her dedication and enthusiasm for collecting Louis XVI furniture and objects, was especially keen to own pieces which had originally belonged to Marie Antoinette. This Weisweiler tour de force is now in the Louvre, Paris.
Of special note and interest is the fact that the above is evidently an ingenious fusion of these two aforementioned precursors which is a rare occurrence even in 19th century examples of this type.