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Lot Essay
Adam Weisweiler, maître 26 March 1778.
ADAM WEISWEILER AND THE MARCHANDS-MERCIERS
Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820), ébéniste of German origin, established in the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris, became maître in 1778. Weisweiler worked closely with the marchands-merciers Julliot and Daguerre and the ébénistes Riesener and Benneman. The luxury pieces for which he is best known were mostly collaborations with Daguerre, who was responsible for the design, and through whom the original Wedgwood plaque was probably acquired. The tradition of mounting furniture with porcelain plaques (initially Sèvres) was pioneered by the marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier in the 1760's. Wedgewood and Bentley plaques were introduced in France by the marchand Granchez of 'Au petit Dunkerque'. From 1787 Daguerre was Wedgewood's representative in Paris. Other examples of Wedgwood-decorated furniture by or attributed to Weisweiler include a sécretaire à abattant in the Kress Collection (Catalogue no. 28) and a console in the Walters Art Gallery (mentioned in A. Kelly, Decorative Wedgwood, 1965, p. 127.)
Through Daguerre, Weisweiler's clients included the French, Neapolitan and Russian Royal families as well as the future George IV, and the French and foreign nobility. Weisweiler remained active until 1809, his links with Daguerre enabling him to continue to work for the export trade and therefore avoid the bankruptcy which befell so many of his colleagues at the Revolution.
THE WEDGEWOOD PLAQUE
The central plaque, is modelled on Lady Templetown's design An Offering to Peace, of December 1777, the sacrificing nymph on the right being replaced by a figure from the Domestic Employment series (See E. Meteyard, Memorials of Wedgwood, 1874, Buten museum reprint, 1967, p.201, pl.XXII). The identical model of plaque is found on a late 18th Century commode by David Hacker in the Neues Palais, Potsdam and is illustrated in G. Himmelheber, Die Kunst des Deutschen Möbels, Munich, 1973, fig. 273.
The plaque, which was replaced in the 19th Century, bears the incised monogram TL for Thomas Lovatt, chief ornamenter at Etruria during the latter part of the 19th Century, and one of the few Wedgwood ornamenters to sign his work. (R. Reilly, Wedgwood, London, 1989, vol. II, p. 564)
RELATED EXAMPLES
A console desserte in amboyna with a panelled frieze and pierced geometric stretcher is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe Siècle, Paris, 1989, p.871. Three further consoles by Weisweiler mounted with similar plaques were sold by Christie's London, 4 May 1939, lot 119, 4 December 1975, lot 83, and Monaco, 7 December 1985, lot 85. A matched pair of closely related consoles (which were adapted to form a pair) sold from a Distinguished European Collection, Christie's New York, 20 May 1998, lot 81. Another, possibly originally the pair to this lot, previously in the collection of Victor Rothschild, 148 Picadilly, London W1 (in Lady Rothschild's boudoir), was sold Sotheby's London, 19 April 1937, lot 183 (bought by the dealer Bensimon).
The alternating flutes and berried foliate mounts to the frieze of this console is found with slight variation on console dessertes by Riesener, Saunier, and Schneider as well as Weisweiler. However, this table also bears the characteristic Weisweiler construction of employing metal pegs to secure the legs of the table to the case.
ADAM WEISWEILER AND THE MARCHANDS-MERCIERS
Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820), ébéniste of German origin, established in the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris, became maître in 1778. Weisweiler worked closely with the marchands-merciers Julliot and Daguerre and the ébénistes Riesener and Benneman. The luxury pieces for which he is best known were mostly collaborations with Daguerre, who was responsible for the design, and through whom the original Wedgwood plaque was probably acquired. The tradition of mounting furniture with porcelain plaques (initially Sèvres) was pioneered by the marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier in the 1760's. Wedgewood and Bentley plaques were introduced in France by the marchand Granchez of 'Au petit Dunkerque'. From 1787 Daguerre was Wedgewood's representative in Paris. Other examples of Wedgwood-decorated furniture by or attributed to Weisweiler include a sécretaire à abattant in the Kress Collection (Catalogue no. 28) and a console in the Walters Art Gallery (mentioned in A. Kelly, Decorative Wedgwood, 1965, p. 127.)
Through Daguerre, Weisweiler's clients included the French, Neapolitan and Russian Royal families as well as the future George IV, and the French and foreign nobility. Weisweiler remained active until 1809, his links with Daguerre enabling him to continue to work for the export trade and therefore avoid the bankruptcy which befell so many of his colleagues at the Revolution.
THE WEDGEWOOD PLAQUE
The central plaque, is modelled on Lady Templetown's design An Offering to Peace, of December 1777, the sacrificing nymph on the right being replaced by a figure from the Domestic Employment series (See E. Meteyard, Memorials of Wedgwood, 1874, Buten museum reprint, 1967, p.201, pl.XXII). The identical model of plaque is found on a late 18th Century commode by David Hacker in the Neues Palais, Potsdam and is illustrated in G. Himmelheber, Die Kunst des Deutschen Möbels, Munich, 1973, fig. 273.
The plaque, which was replaced in the 19th Century, bears the incised monogram TL for Thomas Lovatt, chief ornamenter at Etruria during the latter part of the 19th Century, and one of the few Wedgwood ornamenters to sign his work. (R. Reilly, Wedgwood, London, 1989, vol. II, p. 564)
RELATED EXAMPLES
A console desserte in amboyna with a panelled frieze and pierced geometric stretcher is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe Siècle, Paris, 1989, p.871. Three further consoles by Weisweiler mounted with similar plaques were sold by Christie's London, 4 May 1939, lot 119, 4 December 1975, lot 83, and Monaco, 7 December 1985, lot 85. A matched pair of closely related consoles (which were adapted to form a pair) sold from a Distinguished European Collection, Christie's New York, 20 May 1998, lot 81. Another, possibly originally the pair to this lot, previously in the collection of Victor Rothschild, 148 Picadilly, London W1 (in Lady Rothschild's boudoir), was sold Sotheby's London, 19 April 1937, lot 183 (bought by the dealer Bensimon).
The alternating flutes and berried foliate mounts to the frieze of this console is found with slight variation on console dessertes by Riesener, Saunier, and Schneider as well as Weisweiler. However, this table also bears the characteristic Weisweiler construction of employing metal pegs to secure the legs of the table to the case.