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Lot Essay
This model of gueridon was conceived by the marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier around 1770. Executed by both Martin Carlin and Roger van der Cruse, dit Lacroix (maître in 1755), such gueridons were more often supplied with a Sèvres porcelain top.
Poirier had first experimented with mounting Sèvres porcelain plaques on furniture around 1760, and he and his successor Dominique Daguerre enjoyed a virtual monopoly over Sèvres porcelain plaques intended for furniture. It is the Sèvres archives that enable the accurate dating for this model of gueridon - and also testify to its enduring popularity, one table retaining a plaque with date letter for 1780. In 1775, five oval plaques between 66 and 80 livres were sold to Poirier, while in 1776 he purchased a further eleven oval plaques, costing between 78 and 84 livres. Tables of this model, but with Sèvres plaques to the upper-tier, are at Waddesdon (the plaque retaining a label indicating a price of 66 livres and date letters for 1774-76), in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and sold from the Hillingdon Collection, Christie's London, 29 June 1972, lots 76-77 (one with date letter for 1782).
According to the comte de Salverte, this model of table is called a table en marmotte. Interestingly, the livre-journal of Denis Genty mentions deux tables en marmotte avec ces bobèches in 1762.
Poirier had first experimented with mounting Sèvres porcelain plaques on furniture around 1760, and he and his successor Dominique Daguerre enjoyed a virtual monopoly over Sèvres porcelain plaques intended for furniture. It is the Sèvres archives that enable the accurate dating for this model of gueridon - and also testify to its enduring popularity, one table retaining a plaque with date letter for 1780. In 1775, five oval plaques between 66 and 80 livres were sold to Poirier, while in 1776 he purchased a further eleven oval plaques, costing between 78 and 84 livres. Tables of this model, but with Sèvres plaques to the upper-tier, are at Waddesdon (the plaque retaining a label indicating a price of 66 livres and date letters for 1774-76), in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and sold from the Hillingdon Collection, Christie's London, 29 June 1972, lots 76-77 (one with date letter for 1782).
According to the comte de Salverte, this model of table is called a table en marmotte. Interestingly, the livre-journal of Denis Genty mentions deux tables en marmotte avec ces bobèches in 1762.