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Lot Essay
Mathieu Criaerd, maître in 1738.
The overall form and ormolu mounts of this commode relate to a design for a commode by BVRB in the State Archives, Munich (G. Hojer and H. Ottomeyer, Die Möbel der Residenz München, Munich, 1995, p. 89). BVRB supplied the majority of the commodes ordered circa 1733 for the refurnishing of the Munich Residenz by Elector Charles-Albert of Bavaria (1697-1745). The distinctive apron mount of confronting C-scrolls was also employed on commodes by the ébénistes Jean Desforges (whose stamp 'D.F.' was for many years a mystery) and Jacques -Philippe Carel. The commode supplied by Desforges to the duchesse de Richelieu circa 1745-9, veneered with panels of red Chinese lacquer (A. Pradère, Les Ebénistes Français, Paris, 1989, p. 176) and the magnificent matched pair of commodes veneered in Chinese and Japanese lacquer in the Riahi Collection, sold Christie's London, 6 December 2012, lot 40, attributable to either BVRB or Desforges, all feature this same apron mount. Moreover, Carel - at the same time as BVRB - supplied a commode to the Residenz in Munich via the marchand-mercier Charles Darnault, which was veneered with trellis parquetry and with very closely-related chutes as well as the distinctive apron mount to this commode branded by Criaerd. A closely-related commode, with the same parquetry decoration and stamped by Carel was sold from the collection of Viscount Abernon, Christie's London, 26 June 1929, lot 118; and another, attributed to Carel was sold from the collection of Mona Bismarck, at Christie's Monaco, 15 June 1996.
The overall form and ormolu mounts of this commode relate to a design for a commode by BVRB in the State Archives, Munich (G. Hojer and H. Ottomeyer, Die Möbel der Residenz München, Munich, 1995, p. 89). BVRB supplied the majority of the commodes ordered circa 1733 for the refurnishing of the Munich Residenz by Elector Charles-Albert of Bavaria (1697-1745). The distinctive apron mount of confronting C-scrolls was also employed on commodes by the ébénistes Jean Desforges (whose stamp 'D.F.' was for many years a mystery) and Jacques -Philippe Carel. The commode supplied by Desforges to the duchesse de Richelieu circa 1745-9, veneered with panels of red Chinese lacquer (A. Pradère, Les Ebénistes Français, Paris, 1989, p. 176) and the magnificent matched pair of commodes veneered in Chinese and Japanese lacquer in the Riahi Collection, sold Christie's London, 6 December 2012, lot 40, attributable to either BVRB or Desforges, all feature this same apron mount. Moreover, Carel - at the same time as BVRB - supplied a commode to the Residenz in Munich via the marchand-mercier Charles Darnault, which was veneered with trellis parquetry and with very closely-related chutes as well as the distinctive apron mount to this commode branded by Criaerd. A closely-related commode, with the same parquetry decoration and stamped by Carel was sold from the collection of Viscount Abernon, Christie's London, 26 June 1929, lot 118; and another, attributed to Carel was sold from the collection of Mona Bismarck, at Christie's Monaco, 15 June 1996.