A fine Louis XVI style ormolu-mounted mahogany commode a vantaux
A fine Louis XVI style ormolu-mounted mahogany commode a vantaux

AFTER THE MODEL BY GUILLAUME BENEMAN, BY JOSEPH-EMMANUEL ZWIENER, CIRCA 1890

Details
A fine Louis XVI style ormolu-mounted mahogany commode a vantaux
After the model by Guillaume Beneman, By Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener, Circa 1890
The shaped white and grey brèche marble top above a conforming frieze applied with oak sprigs and set with two drawers, above hinged doors opening to six sliding shelves, the front decorated with a demi-lune panel mounted with a military trophy trailing oak and laurel sprigs, centred by a plumed helmet above a shield with Medusa mask, the convex sides with square panels, the angles as ribbon-tied arrows, on hairy paw-cast feet, the central mount inscribed to the reverse with Z, the door lock engraved to the reverse with MON THEAU/THIEFFINE SUCCR/SERRURIER PARIS
36 in. (91.5 cm.) high; 73½ in. (186.8 cm.) wide; 25¾ in. (65.5 cm.) deep

Lot Essay

The present lot is a faithful copy of a commode that was supplied by Guillaume Beneman for Louis XVI's apartments at Compiègne in 1786. It was probably made by Sauvage for the Comte de Provence and was later re-adapted by Beneman under the instruction of Haur for Louis XVI's Cabinet du Conseil at Fontainebleau, where it remains today. (see J. Meuvret et al., French Cabinet Makers of the Eighteenth Century, 1963, p. 309).

Born in Herdon, Germany in 1849, Zwiener is recorded as having worked in Paris at 12 rue de la Roquette from 1880 to 1895. His successful atelier executed elegant pieces of furniture replicating articles from the Garde-Meuble National of France. Working mainly in a vigorous interpretation of the French Rococo style, Zwiener's furniture is often inset with the finest marquetry, vernis Martin panels and flowing gilt-bronze mounts. At the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889, Zwiener received a gold medal and was lauded by the jurists who noted "dès ses débuts d'une Exposition universelle, [il] s'est mis au premier rang par la richesse, la hardiesse et le fini de ses meubles incrustis de bronzes et fort habilement marquetis".

Another Louis XVI style commode, stamped by Zwiener and Jansen, and bearing locks engraved by the same serrurier as the present lot, was sold in these rooms 24 April 2002, lot 108.

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