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Lot Essay
These sinuous fauteuils originally formed part of a suite owned by Jacques Doucet (1851-1929). Conceived to best display the remarkable Gobelins tapestry covers, the frames were copied from a prototype chair supplied to the Administration du Menus-Plaisirs - almost certainly by a member of the Cresson dynasty of menuisiers. The Cresson prototype and at least five further chairs en suite were subsequently acquired by Mme. Edmé Sommier for Château Vaux-le-Vicomte; two pairs were sold by comte Patrice de Vogüé at Christie's Monaco, 1 July 1995, lots 140 and 142. The pair that included the Louis XV prototype was sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 24 November 2009, lot 71 ($98,500).
JACQUES DOUCET
Jacques Doucet was one of the most celebrated couturiers in Paris in the early 20th century, but was equally renowned for the extraordinary collections he assembled for his Parisian hôtels in the rue de la Ville and subsequently the rue Spontini. He bought from prestigious sales such as that of the Baron Double collection of 1881 (when Doucet was just 30), acquiring masterpieces by the great ébénistes such as Riesener, Carlin and Boulle. The sale of his own collection in 1912 remains one of the landmark sales of the century for 18th century French furniture and works of art, but what is even more remarkable is that he then went on to become one of the most important early patrons of Art Deco furniture - championing the likes of Eileen Gray, Pierre Legrain, Gustav Myklos and Paul Iribe as early as 1913.
JACQUES DOUCET
Jacques Doucet was one of the most celebrated couturiers in Paris in the early 20th century, but was equally renowned for the extraordinary collections he assembled for his Parisian hôtels in the rue de la Ville and subsequently the rue Spontini. He bought from prestigious sales such as that of the Baron Double collection of 1881 (when Doucet was just 30), acquiring masterpieces by the great ébénistes such as Riesener, Carlin and Boulle. The sale of his own collection in 1912 remains one of the landmark sales of the century for 18th century French furniture and works of art, but what is even more remarkable is that he then went on to become one of the most important early patrons of Art Deco furniture - championing the likes of Eileen Gray, Pierre Legrain, Gustav Myklos and Paul Iribe as early as 1913.