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拍品专文
Born in 1847, Alfred Beurdeley took over the successful firm of his father, Louis-Auguste-Alfred (d. 1882) in 1875. The shop was located at the Pavillon de Hanovre, while his workshops were at 20 and 24 rue Dautancourt. Beurdeley specialised in producing the most luxurious articles to the highest quality and was pre-eminent among the Parisian ébénistes, particularly for the refinement of his ormolu, considered the best in the city. Using only the most magnificent models, predominantly Louis XVI, and taking as his reference articles from the Garde Meuble National, which incorporated the remaining collections from the former royal palaces, Beurdeley exhibited at the major International Exhibitions, such as Paris in 1878 and 1889 and Amsterdam in 1883. Business finally ceased in 1895 and between that year and 1901, no less than fifteen sales of Beurdeley's remaining stock were held, mostly conducted by Galerie Georges Petit.
It is clear that the inspiration for this magnificent piano, with its sumptuous ormolu mounts and equally elaborate marquetry, derives at least in part from the celebrated marquetry table à écrire supplied in 1771 by Jean-Henri Riesener (maître 1768) for Louis XVI's Garde-Meuble and now at the Petit Trianon, Versailles. Beurdeley is known to have made direct copies of this table (see Christie's London, February 29, 1996, lot 102) and here uses its distinctive acanthus-headed fluted tapering legs to great effect. The long-established firm of Erard are recorded as supplying the movement and unfinished case for the piano to Beurdeley on October 20, 1881, at a cost of 2,800 francs. Given the undoubted quality of the finished piece - possibly a special commission - it is quite probable that it was exhibited by Beurdeley at one of the International Exhibitions of the early 1880s - either in Amsterdam in 1883 or Paris the following year.
It is clear that the inspiration for this magnificent piano, with its sumptuous ormolu mounts and equally elaborate marquetry, derives at least in part from the celebrated marquetry table à écrire supplied in 1771 by Jean-Henri Riesener (maître 1768) for Louis XVI's Garde-Meuble and now at the Petit Trianon, Versailles. Beurdeley is known to have made direct copies of this table (see Christie's London, February 29, 1996, lot 102) and here uses its distinctive acanthus-headed fluted tapering legs to great effect. The long-established firm of Erard are recorded as supplying the movement and unfinished case for the piano to Beurdeley on October 20, 1881, at a cost of 2,800 francs. Given the undoubted quality of the finished piece - possibly a special commission - it is quite probable that it was exhibited by Beurdeley at one of the International Exhibitions of the early 1880s - either in Amsterdam in 1883 or Paris the following year.