拍品專文
Two other commodes of this rare model are known. One in contre partie marquetry, thought to come from the château de Bercy, was sold at Christie's Geneva, 18 November 1974, lot 57. The other in premiere partie was sold in these Rooms, 6 December 1979, lot 138 from the collection of the Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley. The marquetry on both the Bercy and Cholmondeley commodes appears to be the same, although it is not possible to compare the tops or sides and both are partially missing the narrow strips surrounding the drawers. However the Bercy commode is differently mounted - the ormolu border round the top is cast with foliage in place of the plain moulding on the Cholmondeley commode; the drawer frames are narrower and less rich; and lockplates are cast with shells rather than masks.
The mounts on the Cholmondeley commode are identical to those on this commode and relate to the documented oeuvre of André-Charles Boulle. The female masks above the handles are similar to those on the series of coffres de toilettes such as the pair in the Wallace Collection (F.J.B. Watson, Catalogue, London, 1956, nos. 411-412). The distinctive female masks mounts at the sides, their hair dressed with pearls are close in feeling to those on the series of armoires basses mounted with figures of Aspasia and the Philosopher (A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, London, 1989, fig. 32), although a related mask also appears on the sarcophagus commode attributed to Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt in the Wallace Collection, which follows an engraving by Jean Bérain (A. Pradère, op. cit., fig. 10). Similar rams' masks appear in a design by Boulle for a commode and a torchère engraved on Plates 3 and 4 of his Nouveaux dessins...chez Mariette. All three commodes display that confident integration of the marquetry decoration with the ormolu mounts that characterises Boulle's work and gives his work such unity. The marquetry decoration on this commode is slightly more lavish than on the other two.
The same angle mounts appear on two other commodes of different design - one of floral marquetry sold in these Rooms, 4 December 1969, the other of tulipwood sold in these Rooms, 14 May 1970, lot 129.
The mounts on the Cholmondeley commode are identical to those on this commode and relate to the documented oeuvre of André-Charles Boulle. The female masks above the handles are similar to those on the series of coffres de toilettes such as the pair in the Wallace Collection (F.J.B. Watson, Catalogue, London, 1956, nos. 411-412). The distinctive female masks mounts at the sides, their hair dressed with pearls are close in feeling to those on the series of armoires basses mounted with figures of Aspasia and the Philosopher (A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, London, 1989, fig. 32), although a related mask also appears on the sarcophagus commode attributed to Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt in the Wallace Collection, which follows an engraving by Jean Bérain (A. Pradère, op. cit., fig. 10). Similar rams' masks appear in a design by Boulle for a commode and a torchère engraved on Plates 3 and 4 of his Nouveaux dessins...chez Mariette. All three commodes display that confident integration of the marquetry decoration with the ormolu mounts that characterises Boulle's work and gives his work such unity. The marquetry decoration on this commode is slightly more lavish than on the other two.
The same angle mounts appear on two other commodes of different design - one of floral marquetry sold in these Rooms, 4 December 1969, the other of tulipwood sold in these Rooms, 14 May 1970, lot 129.