Lot Essay
Jean-Henri Riesener, maître in 1768.
This cylinder-bureau formed part of the celebrated collection of George Watson Taylor, sold in these Rooms on 28 May 1825 it was described as:
A Secrétaire of Mahogany with Cylinder Top, containing a writing slider covered with Morocco, and Drawers for Papers: above the Cylinder are two shallow Drawers and a sliding Reading Desk. The top is ornamented with a group of young Genii emblematic of Astronomy, with fret-work rim, and Vases of or-moulu at the angles
George Watson Taylor, along with William Beckford and George IV, was in the process of assembling one of the most important collections of French 18th Century furniture of the time. It is interesting to note that the bureau was bought by the dealer, restorer and furniture-maker Edward Holmes Baldock (d. 1845). Baldock, who was established in Hanway Street in 1805, was responsible for the formation of many of the great early 19th Century collections of French furniture, including those of the Dukes of Buccleuch and Northumberland and William Beckford. In 1826 he described his activities on a bill-heading as buying, selling, exchanging and valuing China, Cabinets, Sceens, Bronzes etc. and having a Sèvre, Dresden, Oriental China, and Antique Furniture Warehouse. He dealt in all types of works of art, but seems to have specialised in foreign pieces. Baldock was active in the London salerooms and can be found in many accounts. In some instances he was under commission to buy for clients and is as such recorded as having bougth £ 800 worth of goods for King George IV at Lord Gwydir's sale at Christie's on 20 and 21 May 1829.
The 3rd duc de Coigny
Augustin Joseph Casimir, 3rd duc de Coigny, born in Paris in 1788, was a member of a distinguished family who loyally served France. With his parents and grandparents he left France at the outbreak of the Revolution. At the very beginning of the 19th century, he became brother-in-law of General Sebastiani, subsequently his aide-de-camp. He fought in the Spanish campaign and then in Russia, where he lost his right arm at Smolensk. He was made a cavalry Colonel in 1814, then became aide-de-camp to the Duc de Berry and subsequently to the duc de Bordeaux. He became the duc de Coigny on the death of his grandfather in 1821. In 1822, at the age of 32, he married Henriette Dalrymple-Hamilton (1801-1869), a rich Scottish heiress. The following year, the duc de Coigny bought the Hotel de Girac, rue du faubourg Saint-Honoré. An important landowner, the duc also owned the château de Coigny in La Manche and the Sainte Claire estate. There were two daughters from his marriage. The elder, Louise (1824-1910) married John Dalrymple, Earl of Stair. The younger, Fanny Georgina Elisabeth (1826-1910), married Sydney William Pierrepont, Earl Manvers (1825-1900) on 14 June 1852.
The collection of furniture belonging to the Coigny family was sold during the Revolution. On their return from exile the marquis and his son, the future third duc were obliged to buy furniture back for their residences. The duc was possibly helped by his brother-in-law, the maréchal Sebastiani, an avid collector of furniture. At the death of the last duc de Coigny there was no mention of a secrétaire à cylindre at the Paris house, but according to family tradition, the secrétaire a cylindre was in fact at the château de Coigny which was maintained by the granddaughter of the last duc up until the beginning of this century.
A related bureaux by Riesener can be found in the Wallace Collection, London, probably originally in the Vigneron Collection and sold in Paris, 3 March 1828, lot 105 (F.J.B. Watson, Wallace Collection Catalogues, Furniture, London, 1956, pl. 74, cat. F277). A further bureau from the collection of Lapeyrière was sold in Paris, 19 April 1825, lot 90, and another stamped bureau from the collection F.B. was sold in Paris, 21 May 1926, lot 107.
The vases surmounting the bureau further feature on the Bureau du Roi by Riesener and Oeben, supplied to Louis XV in 1769 for the château de Versailles. It also incorporates the two youths surmounting the gallery, but do, however, surround a clock rather than a globe as on this model.
This cylinder-bureau formed part of the celebrated collection of George Watson Taylor, sold in these Rooms on 28 May 1825 it was described as:
A Secrétaire of Mahogany with Cylinder Top, containing a writing slider covered with Morocco, and Drawers for Papers: above the Cylinder are two shallow Drawers and a sliding Reading Desk. The top is ornamented with a group of young Genii emblematic of Astronomy, with fret-work rim, and Vases of or-moulu at the angles
George Watson Taylor, along with William Beckford and George IV, was in the process of assembling one of the most important collections of French 18th Century furniture of the time. It is interesting to note that the bureau was bought by the dealer, restorer and furniture-maker Edward Holmes Baldock (d. 1845). Baldock, who was established in Hanway Street in 1805, was responsible for the formation of many of the great early 19th Century collections of French furniture, including those of the Dukes of Buccleuch and Northumberland and William Beckford. In 1826 he described his activities on a bill-heading as buying, selling, exchanging and valuing China, Cabinets, Sceens, Bronzes etc. and having a Sèvre, Dresden, Oriental China, and Antique Furniture Warehouse. He dealt in all types of works of art, but seems to have specialised in foreign pieces. Baldock was active in the London salerooms and can be found in many accounts. In some instances he was under commission to buy for clients and is as such recorded as having bougth £ 800 worth of goods for King George IV at Lord Gwydir's sale at Christie's on 20 and 21 May 1829.
The 3rd duc de Coigny
Augustin Joseph Casimir, 3rd duc de Coigny, born in Paris in 1788, was a member of a distinguished family who loyally served France. With his parents and grandparents he left France at the outbreak of the Revolution. At the very beginning of the 19th century, he became brother-in-law of General Sebastiani, subsequently his aide-de-camp. He fought in the Spanish campaign and then in Russia, where he lost his right arm at Smolensk. He was made a cavalry Colonel in 1814, then became aide-de-camp to the Duc de Berry and subsequently to the duc de Bordeaux. He became the duc de Coigny on the death of his grandfather in 1821. In 1822, at the age of 32, he married Henriette Dalrymple-Hamilton (1801-1869), a rich Scottish heiress. The following year, the duc de Coigny bought the Hotel de Girac, rue du faubourg Saint-Honoré. An important landowner, the duc also owned the château de Coigny in La Manche and the Sainte Claire estate. There were two daughters from his marriage. The elder, Louise (1824-1910) married John Dalrymple, Earl of Stair. The younger, Fanny Georgina Elisabeth (1826-1910), married Sydney William Pierrepont, Earl Manvers (1825-1900) on 14 June 1852.
The collection of furniture belonging to the Coigny family was sold during the Revolution. On their return from exile the marquis and his son, the future third duc were obliged to buy furniture back for their residences. The duc was possibly helped by his brother-in-law, the maréchal Sebastiani, an avid collector of furniture. At the death of the last duc de Coigny there was no mention of a secrétaire à cylindre at the Paris house, but according to family tradition, the secrétaire a cylindre was in fact at the château de Coigny which was maintained by the granddaughter of the last duc up until the beginning of this century.
A related bureaux by Riesener can be found in the Wallace Collection, London, probably originally in the Vigneron Collection and sold in Paris, 3 March 1828, lot 105 (F.J.B. Watson, Wallace Collection Catalogues, Furniture, London, 1956, pl. 74, cat. F277). A further bureau from the collection of Lapeyrière was sold in Paris, 19 April 1825, lot 90, and another stamped bureau from the collection F.B. was sold in Paris, 21 May 1926, lot 107.
The vases surmounting the bureau further feature on the Bureau du Roi by Riesener and Oeben, supplied to Louis XV in 1769 for the château de Versailles. It also incorporates the two youths surmounting the gallery, but do, however, surround a clock rather than a globe as on this model.