A LOUIS XV/LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED TULIPWOOD, AMARANTH AND PARQUETRY COMMODE

CIRCA 1770, STAMPED M.G. CRAMER JME

Details

A LOUIS XV/LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED TULIPWOOD, AMARANTH AND PARQUETRY COMMODE
Circa 1770, stamped M.G. CRAMER JME
With carved breakfront brêche d'alèp marble top (repaired) above three short drawers each with Vitruvian scroll-filled panels, above two long drawers decorated sans traverse with three panels each with flower-filled interlaced disc decoration, the frieze centred by a Mercury mask, on cabriole legs with paw feet sabots, the back with label inscribed in ink 37 and engraved brass label inscribed 'PROPERTY OF METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SUBJECT TO THE LIFE ESTATE OF OGDEN L. MILLS UNDER ARTICLES 2nd AND 4th OF THE WILL OF OGDEN MILLS'
35½in. (90cm.) high, 58¼in. (148cm.) wide, 24¼in. (62cm.) deep

Provenance

Ogden L. Mills
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Anonymous sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, (Property of an Estate) 5 June 1971, lot 96 Mathieu Guillaume Cramer, maître in 1771

Lot Essay

This impressive Transitional commode, by Cramer, with intricate interlaced geometric parquetry offset by Vitruvian scroll and husk swag mounts, is identical to an example in the Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris, catalogue number 631. A pair of commodes of the same model by Cramer, but with the unusual feature of marquetry tops, previously in the collections of Lady Glenconner and Andrew Mellon, was sold in these Rooms, 5 November 1986, lot 202. Another commode of this model is in the Anthony de Rothschild collection at Ascott House, Buckinghamshire. Another very similar commode but with a different frieze mount, attributed to Cramer, was sold from the collection of the 6th Earl of Rosebery, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, Sotheby's house sale, 18-20 May 1977, lot 522. The use of intricately patterned geometrical inlay was a particular speciality of Cramer.