A French ormolu-mounted, ebony and 'Boulle' breakfront Palace armoire

IN THE LOUIS XIV STYLE, AFTER THE MODEL BY ANDRE-CHARLES BOULLE, CIRCA 1880

Details
A French ormolu-mounted, ebony and 'Boulle' breakfront Palace armoire
In the Louis XIV Style, After the model by Andre-Charles Boulle, Circa 1880
The stepped pediment applied with strap-work and masks with ribbon-ties, above a dentil cornice, the central panelled door inset with a painted panel of Louis XIV after Rigaud, the interior with four shelves, flanked to each side by a slender door, the interior each with five shelves, the three doors each fitted with substantial locks, cast in high relief and stamped ST, the sides each with an inset fielded panel, above a gadrooned moulding, on a stepped plinth with block feet, each with a Bacchic mask
76 in. (193 cm.) wide; 106½ in. (270.5 cm.) high; 23½ in. (59.5 cm.) deep

Lot Essay

This Palace armoire is inspired by the work of André-Charles Boulle (1672-1732), ébéniste, doreur, ciseleur et sculpteur du Roi, established in 1672 at the Louvre.

Based on models now in the Wallace Collection, London; in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and in the Louvre, Paris; this copy is unusual, being decorated with a copy of Rigaud's celebrated painting of Louis XIV in coronation robes, now in the Salon d'Apollon, at Versailles.

The door lock bears the same stamp S. T as on door furniture in Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, though the identity of the maker, currently, remains unknown.

A pair of similar armoires with marquetry doors, were sold in these rooms 31 October 1996, lot 263 and a pair with painted panel doors were sold at Christie's, New York, 17 February 1995, lot 316.

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