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Lot Essay
Charles Topino, mitre in 1773
This fine matched pair of commodes feature marquetry panels of floral garlands and bouquets which are distinctive of Topino's work in the late 1770's. Formerly in the collection of Miss Alice de Rothschild, set the commodes were sold Christie's London, 23 November 1922, lot 116. Alice de Rothschild (1847-1922) was the daughter of baron Anselm Solomon (1803-1874) and Charlotte Bettina de Rothschild (1805-1886). She contributed to the creation of the fabulous collection assembled by her brother Ferdinand James (1839-1898) at Waddesdon Manor. Upon Alice's death in 1922, Waddesdon Manor was left to her first cousin Edmond (1845-1934), and his son offered the building and its collections to the National Trust.
A number of related commodes by Topino, with slight variations in the marquetry and mounts, are known. A similar pair from the collection of Mr. Mortimer Schiff was sold at Christie's London, 22 June 1938, lot 62. A second pair formerly in the collection of the 6th Earl of Rosebery was sold Sotheby's, Mentmore Towers, 19 May 1977, lot 467, and subsequently Sotheby's New York, 19 November 1993, lot 63 and 22 May 1997, lot 245. A third pair, one of which is virtually identical to one of the commodes offered here, formerly in the collection of Miss Broadway, was sold at Christie's London, 3 July 1986, lot 126, and is also illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Franais du XVIII Sicle, 1989, p. 845.
This fine matched pair of commodes feature marquetry panels of floral garlands and bouquets which are distinctive of Topino's work in the late 1770's. Formerly in the collection of Miss Alice de Rothschild, set the commodes were sold Christie's London, 23 November 1922, lot 116. Alice de Rothschild (1847-1922) was the daughter of baron Anselm Solomon (1803-1874) and Charlotte Bettina de Rothschild (1805-1886). She contributed to the creation of the fabulous collection assembled by her brother Ferdinand James (1839-1898) at Waddesdon Manor. Upon Alice's death in 1922, Waddesdon Manor was left to her first cousin Edmond (1845-1934), and his son offered the building and its collections to the National Trust.
A number of related commodes by Topino, with slight variations in the marquetry and mounts, are known. A similar pair from the collection of Mr. Mortimer Schiff was sold at Christie's London, 22 June 1938, lot 62. A second pair formerly in the collection of the 6th Earl of Rosebery was sold Sotheby's, Mentmore Towers, 19 May 1977, lot 467, and subsequently Sotheby's New York, 19 November 1993, lot 63 and 22 May 1997, lot 245. A third pair, one of which is virtually identical to one of the commodes offered here, formerly in the collection of Miss Broadway, was sold at Christie's London, 3 July 1986, lot 126, and is also illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Franais du XVIII Sicle, 1989, p. 845.