.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
A table of this identical form, but fitted with ormolu carrying- handles and stamped by the marchand-ébéniste Adrien-Faizelot Delorme (maître in 1748), was given by Louis XV's wife, Maria Leszcyinska to the gouvernante des Enfants de France, Madame Campan and is now in the Louvre (G. Janneau, Le Mobilier Français: Le Meuble d'Ebénisterie, Paris, 1989, fig. 95). In view of the group of similarly-patterned tables, several of which also bear Delorme's stamp (such as that in the Hillwood Museum which displays an identical marquetry top illustrated in L. Paredes Arend, French Furniture from the Collections of Hillwood Museum & Gardens, Washington, 2002, fig.21; and that sold from the collection of Elinor Dorrance Ingersoll, Christie's New York, 11 November 1977, (lot 151) as well as those of other ébénistes such as Péridiez (maître in 1764) and Adrien-Antoine Gosselin (maître in 1772), it has always seemed probable that this model was retailed by a marchand-mercier or marchand-ébéniste such as Delorme, who subcontracted the work to his confrères. The presence of Simon-Philippe Poirier's name on the drawer - inscribed to ensure that the required silvered inkwell fittings were correctly supplied by another sub-contractor - confirms this hypothesis.
A table of exactly this model, executed for Delorme, was also sold by Nathan Wildenstein to Calouste Gulbenkian and is now in the Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon (illustrated in A. Droguet, Nicolas Petit (1732- 1791), Les Editions de l'Amateur, Paris, 2001, p.21)
Interestingly, variations in the richness of both the marquetry and ormolu mounts suggest that some were probably made on commission, whilst others were made for a marchand-mercier's stock. A table in the Huntington Collection for instance, stamped L.PERIDIEZ, has a top surrounded by a pierced ormolu gallery (R. Wark, French Decorative Arts in the Huntington Collection, San Marino, California, 1962, p. 89).
Several tables stamped by Gosselin are also known; one is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (F.J.B. Watson, The Wrightsman Collection, New York, 1966, vol. 1., cat. no. 136); another was sold anonymously Christie's New York, 4 November 1992, lot 93 ($74,800); and a third, attributed to Gosselin, was sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 8 May 1991, lot 80. Finally, a further unstamped table was sold from the Alexander Collection, Christie's New York, 30 April 1999, lot 69 ($189,500).
SIMON-PHILIPPE POIRIER
Simon-Philippe Poirier (1720-1785), whose shop A la Couronne d'Or was located in the fashionable rue Saint-Honoré, was one of the leading marchands-merciers, specialising in all forms of objets de luxe. He played an important creative role, acting as a catalyst between craftsmen and designers to create new forms and fashions. He was instrumental in the creation of the neo-classical style and held a virtual monopoly on the sale of porcelain-mounted furniture, a technique that he pioneered and perfected. His illustrious clientèle included Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry, the duc de Choiseul and the duc de Caylus (S. Eriksen, Early Neo-Classicism in France, London, 1974, p. 215).
Interestingly, the Poirier inscription also appears on a secrétaire à la Bourgogne stamped RVLC in the musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris (illustrated in C. Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit La Croix. 1727-1799, Paris, 2000, p. 44).
A table of exactly this model, executed for Delorme, was also sold by Nathan Wildenstein to Calouste Gulbenkian and is now in the Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon (illustrated in A. Droguet, Nicolas Petit (1732- 1791), Les Editions de l'Amateur, Paris, 2001, p.21)
Interestingly, variations in the richness of both the marquetry and ormolu mounts suggest that some were probably made on commission, whilst others were made for a marchand-mercier's stock. A table in the Huntington Collection for instance, stamped L.PERIDIEZ, has a top surrounded by a pierced ormolu gallery (R. Wark, French Decorative Arts in the Huntington Collection, San Marino, California, 1962, p. 89).
Several tables stamped by Gosselin are also known; one is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (F.J.B. Watson, The Wrightsman Collection, New York, 1966, vol. 1., cat. no. 136); another was sold anonymously Christie's New York, 4 November 1992, lot 93 ($74,800); and a third, attributed to Gosselin, was sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 8 May 1991, lot 80. Finally, a further unstamped table was sold from the Alexander Collection, Christie's New York, 30 April 1999, lot 69 ($189,500).
SIMON-PHILIPPE POIRIER
Simon-Philippe Poirier (1720-1785), whose shop A la Couronne d'Or was located in the fashionable rue Saint-Honoré, was one of the leading marchands-merciers, specialising in all forms of objets de luxe. He played an important creative role, acting as a catalyst between craftsmen and designers to create new forms and fashions. He was instrumental in the creation of the neo-classical style and held a virtual monopoly on the sale of porcelain-mounted furniture, a technique that he pioneered and perfected. His illustrious clientèle included Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry, the duc de Choiseul and the duc de Caylus (S. Eriksen, Early Neo-Classicism in France, London, 1974, p. 215).
Interestingly, the Poirier inscription also appears on a secrétaire à la Bourgogne stamped RVLC in the musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris (illustrated in C. Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit La Croix. 1727-1799, Paris, 2000, p. 44).