Lot Essay
Roger Vandercruse, known as Lacroix, maître in 1755.
Embellished with 'naif' marquetry, inspired by Chinese export lacquer screens, and depicting the writing-surface of a bureau plat with books and an inkwell to the top, this elegant table à ecrire is virtually identical to an example sold at Libert, Paris, 14 December 2007, lot 218 and a further example sold at Christie's, New York, 19 October 2007, lot 262.
This type of marquetry is generally associated with the oeuvre of the ébéniste Charles Topino who sold marquetry panels to his fellow cabinet-makers, as well as finished pieces to marchands-ébénistes, who applied their own stamp and probably sold these pieces as their work. His Livre-Journal, which survives between 1771 and 1776 lists the sales of items of furniture but also panels and elements of marquetry, including 'figures chinois...' and 'poteries de diferentes natures' (S. Sylvain Sainte Marie, Charles Topino, Paris, 2005, p. 66). Roger Vandercruse did not purchase marquetry panels or elements from Topino, and his name only features in the Livre-Journal of the latter for purchases of timber, mainly ebony and tulipwood. Vandercruse's 'naif' compositions are indeed more individual than many by Topino and others, and were almost certainly his own inventions (C. Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit La Crois 1727-1799, Paris, 2000, p. 92).
Embellished with 'naif' marquetry, inspired by Chinese export lacquer screens, and depicting the writing-surface of a bureau plat with books and an inkwell to the top, this elegant table à ecrire is virtually identical to an example sold at Libert, Paris, 14 December 2007, lot 218 and a further example sold at Christie's, New York, 19 October 2007, lot 262.
This type of marquetry is generally associated with the oeuvre of the ébéniste Charles Topino who sold marquetry panels to his fellow cabinet-makers, as well as finished pieces to marchands-ébénistes, who applied their own stamp and probably sold these pieces as their work. His Livre-Journal, which survives between 1771 and 1776 lists the sales of items of furniture but also panels and elements of marquetry, including 'figures chinois...' and 'poteries de diferentes natures' (S. Sylvain Sainte Marie, Charles Topino, Paris, 2005, p. 66). Roger Vandercruse did not purchase marquetry panels or elements from Topino, and his name only features in the Livre-Journal of the latter for purchases of timber, mainly ebony and tulipwood. Vandercruse's 'naif' compositions are indeed more individual than many by Topino and others, and were almost certainly his own inventions (C. Roinet, Roger Vandercruse dit La Crois 1727-1799, Paris, 2000, p. 92).