Lot Essay
Claude-François Rabiat (1756-1815) apprenticed with maître-doreur-argenteur-damasquineur-enjoliveneur Etienne Vignerelle from 1769-1777 and became maître-doreur sur metaux in 1778. He established an atelier at 41 rue Beaubourg which is cited in the Almanach du Commerce as of 1798. He is recorded as collaborating with such renowned bronziers as Pierre-Philippe Thomire, Claude Galle and François-Lucien Feuchère (see D. Ledoux-Lebard, 'Rabiat: Fournisseur des Grands Bronziers de l'Epoque Impérial', L'Estampille/L'Objet d'Art, April 1991, pp. 86-90).
This lot relates to the model of 'Victory' candelabra based on designs for objets d'art for Empress Josephine's boudoir at St. Cloud executed by Charles Percier in 1802 and produced primarily by the bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire (see H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, vol. I, 1986, pp. 328-331, figs. 5.2.2-5.2.9). An identical pair of candelabra also signed by Rabiat is discussed in Ledoux-Lebard, op.cit., pp. 88-89; another signed pair was sold in these Rooms, 26 October 1994, lot 38.
This lot relates to the model of 'Victory' candelabra based on designs for objets d'art for Empress Josephine's boudoir at St. Cloud executed by Charles Percier in 1802 and produced primarily by the bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire (see H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, vol. I, 1986, pp. 328-331, figs. 5.2.2-5.2.9). An identical pair of candelabra also signed by Rabiat is discussed in Ledoux-Lebard, op.cit., pp. 88-89; another signed pair was sold in these Rooms, 26 October 1994, lot 38.