Lot Essay
From a magnificent service sold by the Paris silversmiths Odiot to Mr. de Demidoff, traditionally identified as Count Nikolai Demidoff, and recorded in the account books of the firm. Demidoff was born near St. Petersburg in 1773. He entered the Imperial Guard at a young age and by 1792 he was promoted to Lieutenant-colonel. Two years later he was made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, having married into the illustrious Stroganoff family. He retired from the army, travelled widely and very successfully developed mines and iron works on his lands in Russia. He rejoined the army in 1812 and fought at the Battle of Borodino. After 1815 he lived for several years in Paris where his house became the center for the most distinguished artists and literary figures. He was also known for his philanthropy, distributing every month some 2,000 fr. to the poor of the city. He moved to Florence where he died in 1828, leaving his immense wealth to his sons Paul and Anatole.
The entire service was exhibited at the Louvre in 1819. A translation of the catalogue reads "It has been a pleasure to see the fine silver-gilt service ordered by M. Demidoff, for which the estimated price is not less than 130,000fr. Sixty pieces were counted, all decorated with bas-reliefs in exquisite taste, of subjects representing festivities...it is doubtless whether the art of the silversmith as ever produced anything more magnificent."
The service was sold as the property of "an anonymous English Gentleman of Title" in the sale of "Mangnificent creations in gold plate made by Claude Odiot for Count Nikolai Demidoff" at the American Art Association Anderson Galleries (AAA-AG), New York, December 15, 1928. In the introduction to the catalogue it is stated that the service was acquired from the descendants of Madame de la Chapelle to whom it had been given by Demidoff, but this may be incorrect family tradition. Unfortunately the later applied or engraved coats-of-arms on the service provide no clue -- the husbands's arms are unidentifiable while the accolé ones are probably those of Estourville of Normandy.
Several pieces from the service have subsequently been re-sold at auction -- most notably five lots from the collection of Mrs. Rockefeller McCormick, AAA-AG, January 6, 1934, ten from the collection of Anna Thomson Dodge, Christie's London, June 23, 1971, and four from the collection of the late C. Ruxton Love, Christie's New York, June 14, 1982, and Christie's, New York, April 29, 1987.
The entire service was exhibited at the Louvre in 1819. A translation of the catalogue reads "It has been a pleasure to see the fine silver-gilt service ordered by M. Demidoff, for which the estimated price is not less than 130,000fr. Sixty pieces were counted, all decorated with bas-reliefs in exquisite taste, of subjects representing festivities...it is doubtless whether the art of the silversmith as ever produced anything more magnificent."
The service was sold as the property of "an anonymous English Gentleman of Title" in the sale of "Mangnificent creations in gold plate made by Claude Odiot for Count Nikolai Demidoff" at the American Art Association Anderson Galleries (AAA-AG), New York, December 15, 1928. In the introduction to the catalogue it is stated that the service was acquired from the descendants of Madame de la Chapelle to whom it had been given by Demidoff, but this may be incorrect family tradition. Unfortunately the later applied or engraved coats-of-arms on the service provide no clue -- the husbands's arms are unidentifiable while the accolé ones are probably those of Estourville of Normandy.
Several pieces from the service have subsequently been re-sold at auction -- most notably five lots from the collection of Mrs. Rockefeller McCormick, AAA-AG, January 6, 1934, ten from the collection of Anna Thomson Dodge, Christie's London, June 23, 1971, and four from the collection of the late C. Ruxton Love, Christie's New York, June 14, 1982, and Christie's, New York, April 29, 1987.