A LOUIS XV GILT-TOOLED MOROCCO LEATHER PORTE DOCUMENT

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'CURIEUX DES INDRES' Julliot and the Fashion for Boulle Furniture 1750 - 1800 By Alexandre Pradère. Did Boulle furniture ever go out of fashion as the phrase 'Boulle revival' seems to suggest? There are certain sources which lead us to believe this, such as the sale catalogue of the chevalier de la Roque in 1745, in which the expert-marchand Gersaint describes the Boulle furniture as: 'ces deux pièces, quoique d'un goût ancien and diffèrent de celui qui rène aujourd'hui, sont dignes de tenir leur place chez les curieux les plus délicates'. If in fact this type of furniture seemed to loose favour in the years between 1735 and 1745, it was again highly sought after (as collector's pieces) from the late 1740s. The estimates listed in inventories and various sale results demonstrate an increasing fashion for these pieces. The great Paris marchands-merciers, such as Lazare Duvaux, sold Boulle furniture for considerable sums to their most distinguished clients, such as the marquis de Voyer, Grimod de la Reynière and even Mme. de Pompadour, who purchased a commode by Boulle as a gift for her brother, the (future) marquis de Marigny in 1753. The latter had started his collection, which included some very beautiful furniture by Boulle, mainly purchased in (public) sales. The painter François Boucher also bought pieces by Boulle, or in the manner of Boulle. His 1771 sale catalogue lists a commode and a small ebony bureau 'dans le goût antique' decorated with masks (mascarons). In the 1760s, the fashion for Boulle furniture increased constantly, and reached its apogee in the 1770s. Prices take off in sales and every important auction catalogue includes a section dedicated to 'meubles précieux de Boule le père' or 'genre de Boule'. These pieces made sixty to eighty years earlier re-appeared on the market and needed restoration before being sold by the Paris trade. Indeed, on pieces by Boulle one often finds a restorer's stamp, many of whom were specialised in this kind of work. In this period, various 'unscrupulous' restorations took place, even on collector's pieces. Numerous items of furniture were shortened, heightened, transformed, simplified, or fitted with a marble instead of a marquetry top. New types of Boulle furniture appeared, such as sécrétaires and encoignures, primarily low items of furniture which, placed in libraries or cabinets de collectioneurs, enabled the display of vases and sculpture but also left maximum wall-space for the hanging of Dutch pictures. Large armoires or cabinets-on-stand were replaced by less monumental pieces, particularly the bas-d'armoire so prized by collectors. The fashion for Boulle furniture, which reached its zenith in the 1770s, encouraged copies pastiches to be produced by various ébénistes, particularly by those who had been charged to carry out restorations on earlier pieces. The foremost specialists in this field were firstly Etienne Levasseur and Philippe-Claude Montigny (maître in 1766), but also Jean-Louis Faizelot Delorme (maître in 1763), René Dubois, Nicolas-Pierre Séverin (maître in 1757), Joseph Baumbauer (active 1745-1772) and Adam Weisweiler (maître in 1778). Some of these were also active as dealers and sold the pieces which they had restored. Others worked primarily for marchands-merciers, who extracted (or copied) from old pieces ormolu elements, or marquetry panels, such as drawer-fronts and parts in their entirety, in order to produce up-to-date pices. Claude-François Julliot (1727-1794) The initiative for most of the tranformations of Boulle furniture came from the Julliots, the dynasty of marchands-merciers, who had been active in Paris for three generations (1). The founder, Claude-Antoine (d.1760) was fournisseur de la Couronne from 1739 to 1744. Based on the Quai de Conti, on the corner with the rue Guénégand, from 1721 to 1747, he remained on the left bank his entire life. The inventory of his stock, which was compiled on the death of his wife in 1736, demonstrated that he specialised in porcelain and furniture decorated with Chinese lacquer, but also that pieces veneered in amaranth and kingwood were part of his merchandise. The inventory gives the impression that most pieces were of recent maunfacture. A few items of Boulle furniture are also mentioned: 'a casket on its base (valued at 312 livres), a clock on its pedestal, a serre-papiers, an armoire decorated with marquetry of pewter; and a pair of tables' valued at a high sum which would suggest that they were particularly sumptuous. '122. Deux tables de porphyre de 4 pieds isolé monté sur leurs pieds d'écaille et marqueterie garni de bronze doré d'or moulu, 1125 livres' (2) Noteworthy are their porphyry tops - instead of the usual ones in Boulle marquetry - the dimensions of which correspond to those of the consoles with six legs (130 cm.). Undoubtedly a later feature, these tops substituted their original ones in marquetry, which are probably those listed later in the inventory ('171. Six tables de marbre de diffirentes grandeuret deux de marqueterie, 375 L'.). This is perhaps the earliest trace of a transformation carried out by the Julliots, which would become much more frequent during the next generation. Claude-François Julliot (1727-1794), son of the preceding, increased the sales of old furniture and works of art considerably. A year after his father moved to a house he purchased in the rue des Fossé Monsieur le Prince (for his retirement) in 1751. C. F. Julliot installed himself in 1752 on the right bank of the quai de la Mégisserie, where he was based when he married in the following year. Interestingly, his witnesses were the marchand-merciers Jean Rachinel de la Planche and Antoine Hazon, but also the fondeurs Jean-François Prévost and Jean-Gabriel Dugué. He also moved to a commercially better address in 1760, in the rue St. Honoré, first at the rue d'Orléans, then on the corner with the rue du Four, in a house called 'Curieux des Indes'. In his carnet of the best Parisian dealers the English diplomat Colonel Saint Paul, describes Julliot circa 1770 as: 'Juliot, au coin de la rue d'Orléans vis-à-vis la rue de l'Arbre Sec, rue St Honoré, a un grand magasin de meubles et surtout d'ouvrages de Boule' (3). He was active in the sales of the 1770s, purchasing various pieces of Boulle furniture for himself and his clients (4). He was also the expert for the inventories of various Parisian collectors, who had undoubtedly been his clients; such as Gaillard de Gagny in 1759, Julienne, Beaujon in 1787, or his colleagues Lazare Duvaux in 1758, Hennebot in 1775 and Rachinel Delaplanche in 1775. In the catalogue of Julienne's sale in 1767, Julliot describes lot 1645 as a large Boulle cabinet on a base with six supports. This piece (5), now in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg, rests on a base which is without doubt a neoclassical addition (fig. A). Was this a creation by Julliot? This is difficult to ascertain, but the date of the mentioned one does correspond to the first examples of 'Boulle Revival' furniture. Again in 1776, Julliot was the expert in the Randon de Boisset sale, one of the sales where the highest results were achieved for Boulle furniture. It included several pieces which seem to have been neoclassical adaptions of Boulle's pieces. Some of these were more expensive than the originals. For instance lot 780, a neo-classical commode with pilasters, which was sold for the considerable sum of 5000 livres. Referring to this piece, Julliot (who had certainly sold the piece) mentions: 'toute la marqueterie est de Boule à l'exception de la frise & des pilastres faits sur ses dessins'. This description seems to correspond to a piece in the manner of Levasseur, consisting of panels and drawer-fronts taken from a piece by Boulle with a neo-classical structure. Two sécretaires had also been made from early Boulle marquetry panels. Lot 797 was embellished to the fall-front with a marquetry panel depicting cupids on a swing chariot taken from the top of the console with six legs, like lot 10 in the Wildenstein Collection. Of the second sécretaire, lot 798, Julliot mentions that 'tout composé de marqueterie de Boule et a été fait avec autant de solidité que de soins' (6). In 1777, Julliot received a commission from the comte d'Artois for a large Boulle marquetry commode for the palais du Temple. This piece of furniture, now at Versailles (7), was made by Levasseur. Almost all of its bronzes are original creations, while only the shape of the base and the masks to the sides were borrowed from Boulle. Following the death of his wife in November of the same year, an inventory was compiled of Julliot's stock which was followed by a sale almost immediately (8). An analysis of this sale gives an insight into all the forms of 'Boulle Revival' furniture by Julliot. It lists a mixture of old furniture by Boulle and pieces of recent manufacture. Sadly, the catalogue gives few hints to dating and attributions. Some were only transformed where needed, others were assembled from old and new parts, whereas further, neoclassical pieces were made from bronze aftercasts of motifs by Boulle and only some old panels. Among the old furniture was a large armoire and a pair of consoles with six legs like those in the Wallace Collection; a pair of commodes of the model formerly in the Wildenstein collection (fig. B); a third commode, now in the Wallace Collection; a coffer of sarcophagus shape similar to the one in the J.P. Getty museum; a pair of low cabinets (armoires basses) with figures of the Seasons of the model of those at Versailles; finally a pair of pedestals (gaines à tablier) (9). Three bureaux plats by Boulle were part of the stock. The description of the first example is particularly noteworthy: '711. Un bureau de Boule, serre-papiers, & pendule, mouvement fait par Neveu, dans sa boîte; le tout de première partie, sur un fond bleu; le bureau à trois tiroirs, à huit pieds, forme de pilastre, contournés du haut avec entre jambes cintrées de chaque côté, sortant des pieds, se réunissant à un autre pieds rentrant en dessous & servant de support; il est enrichi de carderon, de mascarons de différents caractères, de pieds de bîche sur le haut des pieds, de cadres & autres accessoires [] longueur 6 pieds sur 32 pouces de large, hauteur 29 pouces [195 x 86.5 x 78.3cm]'. This piece of furniture, which was sold again in the Le Boeuf sale in 1783, corresponds to a bureau, which was in the London trade around 1960 and had a similar unusual base (fig. C). Boulle generally repeated his models, and one can compare Julliot's bureau and its companion to an example from Mentmore (10). The first has the same frieze and almost the same base, from which half of the feet and half of the stretcher have been removed to undoubtedly lighten its appearance (fig. D). Among the pieces of recent manufacture were several pairs of neo-classical low cabinets (bas d'armoires) made either by Levasseur or Joseph Baumhauer. Lot 693 were a pair of bibliothèques basses in contre partie with glazed doors by Levasseur, which were embellished on the central doors with medallions depicting the Abduction of Hélène. These were purchased by the Baron de Saint Julien for 3000 livres and were sold again after his death, as lot 186 on 21 June 1784. Julliot made several examples of this popular model. At least five are known to exist, of which one pair belonged to president de Nicolaÿ (11) (figs. E-F). In 1777 a simple bibliothèque of this model, en première partie, featured in the sale of comte du Luc, where it was acquired by Julliot for 1500 livres for the comte de Merle. This type of furniture clearly derives from the celebrated model of bibliothèque with three doors with mytheological figures in the Louvre, on which its shape, base and certain bronzes (paterae, masks and escutcheons) are based. However, the juxtaposition of the neoclassical mounts, such as the medallions and the angle mounts, is surprising. Lot 710 in the Julliot sale was another pair of bibliothèques with low relief gilt-bronze medallions on an ebony ground. However, their dimensions and the presence of a single door would suggest that these were in fact cabinets. Lot 697 was a further pair of low cabinets with solid doors, corresponding to those by Joseph Baumhauer of circa 1770, one of which is in the Wallace Collection, the other in a private collection (12) (fig. G). Here, emulating Boulle went a step further, as all the principle bronzes - Apollo and Marsyas, the Seasons, are direct copies (aftercasts or re-use of old bronzes) of motifs taken from the large armoires by Boulle. Here again, the prototype of this type was in the possession of Julliot and featured in his sale as lot 729, which cites two rectangular marquetry panels with bas reliefs of Apollo, Daphne and Marsyas. Marquetry tables were just as highly sort after by amateurs in the 1770s as the bas d'armoire. Julliot offered a wide assortment of different dimensions and types. His sale included five apparently neo-classical examples with 'pieds en gaines rondes', without any stretcher (lots 700-702, 717-718). Three of these had a top of a precious marble (vert de mer, oriental alabaster), and had friezes of feuilles de persil; a motif which features on various pieces by Weisweiler. One of them (no. 700) was a large console table, 162 cm. wide, and had Ionic capitals to the legs with fringe drapery mounts as found on pedestals by Boulle. The two other tables were rectangular writing-tables, 70 cm. wide, with a drawer to either side and decorated with capitals and masks, close to an example recently sold in Paris, which was stamped by Dufour (13). The last table (lot 703), was in fact the base of a casket or a cabinet with pedestals headed by ram's masks, such as those at Boughton House. One of the interventions carried out by the marchands in the second half of the 18th century was the transformation of the cabinet-on-stand into a low cabinet (meuble bas), which explains why so many stands now exist on their own (14). The cabinet, which had been supported by the above-mentioned basse, was listed separately as lot 707. It had been adapted into a meuble bas, with a socle and feet mounted en limaçon and a yellow sienna marble top. The mention of a figure of a lady in low relief to the front allows us to trace this to the Gaillard de Gagny sale in 1762 (lot 55) where Julliot must have purchased it. It was placed on a 'un très beau pied à consoles en marqueterie orné de bronze doré qui a 3 pieds 3 pouces de haut'. This cabinet is now in a private collection in Paris (fig. H). Two other cabinets of the same model (lot 694-695), with a medallion of Louis XIV and armed trophies were also meubles bas on socles with en limaçon-mounted feet. The description does mention that they had been made by Boulle and one can presume that these were adaptions transformations carried out circa 1770 by one of the ébénistes working for Julliot. The presence of a single cartonnier, without its bureau, demonstrates another way to interpret Boulle: '725.Un serre-papiers, première partie ouvrant dans le milieu par un battant entre deux tiroirs avec case au dessus: la corniche garnie de moulures, le battant d'un enfant à bas relief couché sur un support, les côtés sont ornés de mascaron & palmette, le tout de bronze doré. Il est placé sur une table de poirier noirci, ouvrant à un battant de chaque côté ; longueur 29 pouces 6 lignes sur 17 pouces 6 lignes de haut; hauteur de la table 30 pouces.' This cartonnier which can be traced to the collection of Jean Petin (Fig. I) is a composition piece, made from a serre-papiers by Boulle and supported by an ebonised base by Montigny, undoubtedly to be placed next to an ebony bureau by the latter (15). Finally, as lot 719 were offered two particularly unusual items of furniture and difficult to name: They were cabinets with a single door, on tall legs joined by a stretcher: '259. Deux petits meubles ouvrant à un battant, à tiroirs au dessous, et à quatre pieds avec entre-jambes, le grand panneau du milieu enrichi d'un masque de femme à bandeau et quarderon à feuilles de chêne, l'entrée du tiroir de genre singulier, à trois masques, dont deux de profil. Hauteur 35 pouces, larg. 24, profondeur 9 et demi [94 x 65 x 26cm]'. These cabinets (fig. J) which were in the Paris trade in the 1970s (16), incorporate the side panel from a bureau Mazarin, detached from the central section. The marquetry panels are well drawn like those by Boulle, but one cannot determine if they are re-used or made recently. Here one can compare them to two similar items (17) which also seem to be a Julliot creation (fig. K). They were sold in 1795 from the collection of Aranc de Presle, himself a great Boulle collector (see lot 190): '259. Deux petits meubles ouvrant à un battant, à tiroirs au dessous, et à quatre pieds avec entre-jambes, le grand panneau du milieu enrichi d'un masque de femme à bandeau et quarderon à feuilles de chêne, l'entrée du tiroir de genre singulier, à trois masques, dont deux de profil. Hauteur 35 pouces, larg. 24, profondeur 9 et demi [94 x 65 x 26 cm]'. Besides this variety of Boulle furniture, Julliot had several pieces by Cressent, but also recently-made items of furniture in mahogany or marquetry, such as an oval bonheur-du-jour with marquetry of flower vases, which can be attributed to Topino. Finally he had great quantities of gilt-bronze, taken from furniture that had passed through his hands. Some were original, others aftercasts. They were all destined for items made under his supervision. The 1777 inventory lists them at the end of his stock (18): 'Ornements de bronze doré: 811. quatre chutes de bureau à tête de satyre, prisé 8 l. 812. quatre autres chutes à tête de séraphin et deux petits enfants en relief, prisé 10 l. 813. deux bandeaux à entrelacs et rubans de 9 pouces de diamètre, prisé 12 l. 814. un pied à six pans profilé à gorges et moulures, prisé 5 l. Bronze doré: 815. deux mascarons à massue et griffes de lion, un piédouche à cul de lampe et une gorge à entrelacs, prisé 15 l. 816. deux terrasses en forme de presse papiers et une de 22 pouces de long, prisé 12 l. 817. quatre boutons à flammes, deux petites [?] à anneaux, deux petites mascarons, deux petites chutes à tête de faune, prisé 15 l. 818. deux pieds à godrons, un petit piédouche à cul de lampe et une espèce de fort anneau à feuilles de laurier, une petite chute en console et une petite gorge, prisé 4 l. 819. une grande gorge accompagnée de deux anses contournées et un fort pied, prisé 18 l. 820. deux grandes rosettes ovales richement ouvragées et dorées d'or mat, une petite octagone et deux cercles à anneaux, prisi 6 l. 821. Dix neuf cadres de tiroirs de cinq grandeurs diffirentes et quatre bandes à carderons de bureaux, prisi 12 l. 822. Différents ornements pesant 15 livres, prisé 18 l 822 bis. Deux bougeoirs unis, prisé 15 l. Ornements de bronze non doré: 823. Deux consoles à mascarons supportant l'entablement et atelées de dauphin par bas, le tout de bronze non doré, prisé 90 l. 824. Un petit chandelier de bureau, prisé 20l. 825. différents modèles ciselés pesant 20 livres, prisés 16 l. 826. modèles ciselés d quatre parties de socles guirlandes de laurier, deux bandes de frise à postes et fleurons et un pied à feuilles en deux parties, pesant environ 16 livres, prisé 16 l. 827. quatre forts masques ciselés, prisé 12 l. Modèles d'ornements d'après Boule propres pour bibliothèques: 828. deux fortes figures à bas relief et leur support, une grande rosace, deux mascarons, deux équerres contournées à plates bandes et fleurons, deux petits cartels, dix-sept petites pièces de moulure, deux agrafes et deux rinceaux ciselés, huit rubans relief et neuf médailles non ciselées, faisant quarante huit pigées pesant environ vingt six livres, prisé 26 l. Modèles de commodes: 829. deux mascarons à rinceaux, un fort portant, un fort mascaron, un moyen, un bas de relief de trois enfants, une grande rosace carré long, deux rosettes carrées, un chapiteau, une équerre, une moitié de chapiteau, un fort pied carré à feuilles, une moitié de cadre à profil uni, un petit cadre carré long à petites feuilles, et deux moulures à godrons, pesant 18 livres 14 onces, prisé 13 l. Modèles de bas d'armoire: 830. deux grandes calottes, un moyen pied carré à feuilles, deux grandes équerres à mascaron et fleurons, un mascaron, une moulure à oves, deux larges moulures à feuilles de persil, deux autres moyennes à feuilles d'eau, une grande, une moyenne, une petite rosette, une plaque d'entré à tête d'aigle et un pied carré, pesant six livres, prisé 5 l. 831. une figure à bas relief et son support, grandes moulures à feuilles de persil, deux petits médaillons, deux boutons de pincettes à feuilles d'eau, trois modèles de frange et autres modèles, tant ciselés que bruts, pesant 12 livres 4 onces, prisé 9 l. 832. un pied en visse, quatre petits mascarons, cinq moulures dont une à feuilles de persil, l'autre à rosettes entrelacées, deux à petites feuilles de persil, la dernière à petites rosettes coupées, deux têtes de zéphyrs, trois plates bandes, une moulure de chapiteau, une pour embase, quatre guirlandes, une petite équerre et un mascaron accompagné de deux griffes pesant 8 livres, prisé 6 l. 833. Modèles bruts de différents ornements pesant 22 livres, prisé 14 l. 834. une grande gorge, deux recouvrements de serrure, six portants, cinq entrées, quatre boules d'équipage le tout en une bande de moulure unie pesant 10 livres 10 onces, prisé 7 l.' Many of these bronzes can be traced to the pieces mentioned or illustrated above ('équerres à zéphyrs, moulures à oves, moulures à feuilles de persil, rosettes carrées, médaillons, figures à bas relief sur support, pieds en vis, pied carré à feuilles, franges, etc.)'. Others, such as the ribbons and medals embellished a type of armoire with figures of Aspasie and Socrates which was continued in the 1770s by the ébénistes Montigny and Delorme (20). The inventory of 1777 gives the names of two bronze chasers (ciseleurs) employed by Julliot (Raineber and Gautier) and that of the gilder Harasse. Indeed, these models of bronze featured in the sale catalogue of 1777, lots 858-878, where some were bought by Daguerre, Maréchal, Lésage and a number were brought by Julliot, allowing the next generation to continue to manufacture and sell Boulle furniture. Philippe-François Julliot, called Julliot Fils (1755-1835) Claude-François Julliot retired in 1780 to a house which he had acquired in the rue des Deux Ecus, where he died in 1794. The inventory which was compiled describes his furniture, which was of great quality but sparse (20). There is no mention of any stock, nor a stock book, and there are no models of bronzes either, indicating that all activity had ceased for a while. In fact, between 1782 and 1787 he had helped his eldest son, Philippe-François, take on the family business by means of loans and a donation. He was installed in the old shop of his father, 'Curieux des Indes', rue Saint Honoré, which he was forced to leave during the Revolution. Subsequently based in the rue de la Barillerie, Ile de la cité, where he is mentioned in 1792 (21), then returning to his old neighbourhood at 392 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, where he is mentioned in 1794, by 1802 he had a shop near the rue de la Coquillère. Just like his father, he was the expert in some of the great sales of his time: Poulain (1780); duc d'Aumont (1782); Mulle Laguerre (1783); Blondel d'Azincourt (1783); M. de Montribloud, comte de Merle, Mme Lighre (1784); Dubois (1785); M. de Boullogne (1788); duc de Richelieu (1788). His name appears frequently as the purchaser of items of porcelain and furniture, in particular some very beautiful items mounted with pietra dura panels: he acquired two tables with relief pietra dura panels of flowers and fruit in the Montriblond sale, one fitted with a mechanism, the other with a panel depicting a tabagie. In the Billy sale, which took place in the same year, he purchased a small secretaire mounted with pietra dura. He continued the family tradition of dealing in Boulle furniture until the early 19th century. Either as a result of bad management or difficult times, Julliot filed for bankrupcy on 17 July 1799. The sums were considerable judging from the volume of his affairs: his debts mounted to 1,059,181 livre. The stock was estimated over 600,000 livres, including 'marchandises, bijoux, vases précieux et autres effets mis en nantissement et valant 32,600 livres' and 'curiosités, bronzes, statues, meubles enrichis de pierres de rapport, pendules étant dans le magasin', worth 30,000 livres. Julliot was a collector. He had a cabinet with Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, valued at 30,000 livres. Furthermore, he owned two houses, one inherited from his father, on the rue des Deux Ecus on the corner with the rue de Provences, the other at Romanville. His bankrupcy became a very serious matter: three years later, on 22 March 1802, the sale of his stock and collections took place while he was imprisoned at Saint Pélagie. Around fifty items of Boulle furniture are listed in addition to various mahogany pieces. Even though the summary descriptions and lack of dimensions do not allow one to identify various items with certainty it does give an impression of the Julliot magasin; it also does, however, make the distinction between furniture 'de marqueterie de Boule' and 'de marqueterie genre de Boule'. There were some old pieces by Boulle himself, such as a commode of the model with winged maidens at Versailles (lot 8) and three commodes of the model with two drawers with faun masks in the Louvre (in the 18th century sometimes called la culotte de Boule): '9. une commode de pareille marqueterie, dont les pieds dits en forme de culotte, avec mascarons, rinceaux et carderons. - 10. Une autre commode pareille.- 11. Une autre commode pareille.' There were also several large armoires 'de marqueterie de Boulle', including a pair of armoires with figures of Aspasie and Socrates. Other pieces are mentioned, sadly not providing many clues if they refer to old pieces or of recent manufacture: a semi-circular console table and a pair of small corner consoles, four pedestals in marquetry or ebony, a barometer genre de Boule, two clocks both incorporating a barometer and a thermometer. Half of this list refers to items which were half finished (with their bronzes not yet gilt and without a marble top), or to items of recent manufacture and this is worth mentioning as it demonstrates the abundant production of Boulle furniture around 1800. One of the models which appeared frequently was the pedestal gaines à tablier. Julliot had two old pairs and three pairs which had not yet been finished (see lots 23 and 28). '23. Deux gaines de Boule, à tabliers bleus, sur fond d'étain. 24. Deux autres, idem, à tablier découpé en noir, sur fond d'étain. 25. Deux autres, idem, découpies en étain sur fond bleu (non finies). 26. Deux autres, idem. 27. Deux autres, idem. 50. Six gaines en bois d'ébène, marqueterie genre de Boule, non finies, qui seront divisés'. The production of secrétaires à abattant continued as before: '13. Un secrétaire, genre de Boule, à abattant, avec son dessus en marbre de Sicile, et orné de bronze doré. 28. Un secrétaire à abattant en marqueterie de Boule, dont les cuivres non dorés, et sans marbre'. The fashion among amateurs of the preceding generation for cabinets (the term used for the model by Boulle with a central door flanked by drawers) was still flourishing as both an old and a recent pair are listed: '29. un cabinet de marqueterie de Boule, les cuivres dorés, les panneaux d'étain et sans marbre. 30. Deux autres cabinets, genre de Boule, forme de petite régence, non finis et sans marbre'. Bas d'armoires were still the most highly prized by amateurs. Julliot owned almost thirty examples, most of them unfinished and without marble: '31. Deux bas d'armoires en marqueterie, genre de Boule, avec dessus de marbre Portor. 32. Deux bas d'armoires, genre de Boule, ornements en bronze doré, à dessus de marbre. 33. Deux autres bas d'armoires, genre de Boule, avec dessus de marbre, sans dorure. 34. Deux bas d'armoires, de marqueterie de Boule, sans tablettes de marbre. 35. Deux bas d'armoires de marqueterie, genre de Boule, sans marbre, les cuivres dorés, les panneaux du milieu figurant des tiroirs non placés. 36. Un bas d'armoires en marqueterie, genre de Boule, cuivre non doré et sans marbre; le panneau du milieu fond d'écaille. 37. Un petit bas d'armoire ou cabinet sans ses pieds, en marqueterie, genre de Boule, les cuivres non dorés, sans marbre. 38. Un autre bas d'armoires à trois panneaux, dont deux sur les côtés, fond écaille, cuivre non doré; sans marbre. 39. Deux cabinets de riche marqueterie, genre de Boule, dont les cuivres finis et non doré, sans marbre. 40. Un bas d'armoires à deux vantaux, ornements de bronze, figures dans les panneaux et à dessus de marbre. 41. Deux autres bas d'armoire, genre de Boule, avec ornements de bronze, un seul à dessus de marbre. 42. Deux autres, idem, avec ornements de bronze, sans dessus de marbre. 43. Un autre idem, ayant la figure de Henri IV; sans marbre. 44. Quatre autres bas d'armoires, genre de Boule, avec ornements de bronze, sans marbre. 45. Deux autres idem, même forme et même genre. 46. Un autre idem, plus grand, avec ornements de bronze sans marbre. 47. Un autre bas d'armoires, genre de Boule, baguettes et ornements de bronze doré, sans marbre. 48.Un autre idem, même genre, avec marbre de Flandres. 49. Un autre idem, plus grand, sans marbre' Despite the brief descriptions one is able to distinguish one or two pieces, notably the pair of bas d'armoire, lot 35, with this 'panneaux du milieu figurant des tiroirs' (22) (fig. L). Interestingly, these are closely related to two pieces in the Wildenstein Collection (see lot 25), which could suggest a datation in the same years?. It is also tempting to compare No. 43, a bas d'armoire with the figure of Henri IV (a rare occurance to my knowledge), with the Cassiobury cabinet (lot 30) in the Wildenstein Collection (which would imply that the transformation from the cabinet to bas d'armoire had been made by Julliot between the Lambert du Porail sale of 1787 and 1802). Julliot was also specialiszed in pietra dura furniture, which were part of the Louis XIV revival taste and were associated with Boulle marquetry, or at least with ebony. The 1802 sale included several important examples of furniture mounted with pietra dura panels, which also incorporated Boulle marquetry. The rest of Julliot's career is virtually unknown. He died on 6 January 1836 in Paris, in the impasse Longue Avoine, where he is described as a 'rentier'. His sole heir was his daughter François-Victoire. An inventory was not compiled on this occasion. Around 1820, when English collectors visited Paris buying every piece of Boulle they could find, the name Julliot seems forgotton. Only Levasseur jeune (whose grandfather was the principle supplier of Julliot) promoted himself in the Bazar Parisien of 1823 as the only marchand able to sell or handle this type of furniture. Philippe-François Julliot's career demonstrates the fashion for Boulle furniture at the end of the reign of Louis XVI, during the Consulat and until the beginning of the Empire. It is obvious that the production of Boulle furniture reached its apogee around 1800, when the Paris ateliers of Levasseur, Montigny, Weisweiler and others were all working for Julliot. This dynasty perfected the Boulle revival style between 1760 and 1800, which predates the activities of furniture dealers of the 19th century, from Montro to Beurdeley, who handled old furniture, reproduction and new creations. Notes 1. P. Lemonnier, 'Les Julliot', L'Estampille, October 1989, pp. 38-46. 2. Archives nationales, minutier central des notaires, étude XXXIX 353, 7 December 1736. 3. By the author, 'Les bonnes adresses à Paris autour de 1770', Antologia di Belle Arti, 1993, p.95. 4. Julliot made purchases in the sales of Gaignat (1769), du Luc (1777), de Pange (1781) , Blondel d'Azincourt (1783), de Billy (1785), Calonne (1788). 5. By the author, Les Ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la Révolution, Paris, 1989, p.85, fig.39. 6. This sécrétaire, reveneered in mahogany is now at Versailles. 7. P. Arizzoli-Clémentel, Le Mobilier de Versailles, Dijon, 2002, vol.II, pp.86-89. 8. Catalogue des marbres, bronzes, porcelaines, meubles de Boule, lustres, girandoles composant le magasin de Julliot marchand rue St Honoré, dont la vente après décès de la veuve [sic] du sieur Julliot se fera jeudi 20 novembre 1777. Paris, 20 November-11 December 1777; Lugt n02740. 9. For the armoire, the commode, the pair of consoles, see P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, vol.II, pp. 816- (F 61 ); 644-648 (F 402); 752-761 (F 424 & 425); for the pair of armoires basses with the Seasons and the pair of pedestals, see Arizzoli-Climentel, ibidem, vol.II, pp.36-37 and 41. 10. We have been able to identify the bureau by Julliot, formerly in the Cameron Gallery, London, by means of documentation kindly provided by galerie Fabre, Paris. Its pendant, formerly in the collection of the Earls of Rosebery at Mentmore, was sold Sotheby's house sale, 18-20 May 1977, lot 857. 11. The two bibliothéques in première partie (formerly collection Bizaine, Versailles ), correspond to those held by the Commission des Arts in 1794 among the furniture confiscated from the late president de Nicolaÿ (Archives from the Nationales F/17/1269). The two other items of furniture at the Wallace collection have been researched by P. Lemonnier (ibid,.p.43) and by P. Hughes (ibidem, pp. 578-585), the one in contre-partie corresponding to one of the bibliothèques by Julliot, the one in première partie corresponding to a bibliothèque ?. A final example, in contre-partie, formerly in the collection de Mme L., was sold Christie's, Paris, 10 December 2000, lot 650, and undoubtedly corresponds to the second bibliothèque in the Julliot sale, which was originally the pair to that in the Wallace Collection F 388). 12. For the example in contre partie, see P. Hughes, ibidem, pp. 573-577 (F 383); the première partie examples formerly from the Gramont and Maigret collections, was sold from the collection of Wendell Cherry, Sotheby's, New York, 12 June 1992, lot 270. 13. Table stamped C.I. Dufour (H.79 ; W.93cm), sold Daguerre, Paris, 14 December 2002 a similar table of rectangular outline and unstamped is in a private Collection, Paris. 14. We cite: The pair of stands with four supports, stamped Levasseur (formerly in the collection of the marquis de Foz, sold Christie's, Paris, 16 December 2003, lot 349), which corresponds both to the medal cabinets of Louis XIV and to the coffers de toilette; another larger pair, sold Christie's, Boulle to Jansen - An Important Private European Collection, June 11 - June 12 2003, lots 25-26, now with Galerie Kugel, Paris; the cabinet stand with carved figures in the collection of the Dukes of Devonshire at Chatsworth. 15. Sotheby's, Monaco, 22 June 1991, lot 518. 16. galerie Aveline, Paris. 17. galerie Maurice Segoura, Paris, around 2001. 18. Archives nationales, minutier central des notaires, étude X /666, 5 November 1777. 19. Archives nationales, minutier central des notaires, étude X /813, le 18 fructidor on II. A sale of his drawings and pictures, took place, 3 July 1795. 20. By the author: 'Les armoires à médailles de l'histoire de Louis XIV par Boulle et ses suiveurs', in Revue de l'Art, n0116, 1997, pp.42-53. 21. The Almanach des Adresses, 1792, mentions: 'Juliot, mercier, r de la Barillerie'. 22. sale Christie's London, 14th April 1983, lot 96

A LOUIS XV GILT-TOOLED MOROCCO LEATHER PORTE DOCUMENT

BY JOLLIVET, MID-18TH CENTURY

Details

A LOUIS XV GILT-TOOLED MOROCCO LEATHER PORTE DOCUMENT
BY JOLLIVET, MID-18TH CENTURY
Decorated overall au petit fer and inscribed 'M.le comte de la Luzerne', the interior lined in blue silk, signed 'Jollivet MD. ORDRE du Roy (erased) Rue de Buffy'
13½ in. (34 cm.) high; 17 in. (43 cm.) wide

Provenance

Anonymous sale, Sotheby's London, 18 March 1947.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

César-Henri, comte de La Luzerne, (1737-1799) was Ministre de la Marine in the last years before the French Revolution. Interestingly, in this position, he succeeded such well known art collectors as Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville and the duc de Choiseul.
Following this, he held several important responsibilities in the Académie Royale des Sciences and the Assemblie Nationale.

The word Roy has been erased on the gilt-embossed inscription, suggesting that this porte document was sold during the Revolutionary sales.

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