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Lot Essay
The distinctive bearded mask chutes of this impressive bureau plat, with exaggerated volute scrolls and entwined scaly pendants, are also found on a group of pieces attributed to the mysterious bniste known as the 'Matre aux Pagodes' (see A. Pradre, Les Ebnistes de Louis XIV la Rvolution, Paris, 1989, pp. 125-127, figs. 81,82 and 85).
The recent discovery of the stamp NG on a magnificent commode with dragon corner mounts (sold in these Rooms from the collection of Joanne Toor Cummings, 21 May 1996, lot 238) has led to a tentative attribution of these distinctive pieces to the bniste Noel Grard (d. 1736). Grard had a thriving business, initially situated in the Faubourg-Saint-Antoine and later in the htel of the banker Jabach on the rue Neuve-Saint-Merry. His output is characterized by richly inlaid pieces with sculptural mounts in a style clearly influenced by Andr-Charles Boulle. His distinguished range of clients included the king of Poland, Stanislaus Leszczynski and the comte de Clermont. He worked equally as a cabinet-maker and as a dealer in all aspects of ameublement, as revealed by the extensive inventory of his stock taken after his death.
The recent discovery of the stamp NG on a magnificent commode with dragon corner mounts (sold in these Rooms from the collection of Joanne Toor Cummings, 21 May 1996, lot 238) has led to a tentative attribution of these distinctive pieces to the bniste Noel Grard (d. 1736). Grard had a thriving business, initially situated in the Faubourg-Saint-Antoine and later in the htel of the banker Jabach on the rue Neuve-Saint-Merry. His output is characterized by richly inlaid pieces with sculptural mounts in a style clearly influenced by Andr-Charles Boulle. His distinguished range of clients included the king of Poland, Stanislaus Leszczynski and the comte de Clermont. He worked equally as a cabinet-maker and as a dealer in all aspects of ameublement, as revealed by the extensive inventory of his stock taken after his death.