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Lot Essay
Jean-François Leleu, maître in 1764.
Charles Antoine Stadler, maître in 1776.
With its beautifully figured mahogany and restrained decoration, this bureau is a prime example of the oeuvre of Jean-François Leleu. Apprenticed alongside Jean-Henri Reisener to Jean-François Oeben, Leleu was appointed ébéniste to the Prince de Condé and is known to have supplied exceptional furniture to numerous members of the Court, including the marquis de Laborde. His furniture is distinguished by its restrained architectural character and simple undecorated lines, often mounted with superbly chased ormolu mounts of more bold and simplified character than those of his confrères.
Leleu and Stadler
This bureau is stamped by both Leleu and his son-in-law Stadler, a collaboration which probably started when the latter married Leleu's daughter-in-law in 1767. They are also known to have worked together on the superb marquetry cylinder bureau from the collection of the Barons Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild, which was sold, Christie's, London, 8 July 1999, 206. Charles-Antoine Stadler was still a free craftsman when he married the daughter-in-law of Jean-François Leleu on 19 February 1767, but only received his maîtrise on 13 November 1776, one month after the death of his spouse. The inventory drawn up on 7 October 1776 lists three work-benches, but also work completed for his father-in-law which amounted to 834 livres. It appears that he specialised in the production of marquetry, not only because the tools described would indicate this, but also because of the table described in his workshop: une table, le dessus fleurs et mosaque 336 livres.
Charles Antoine Stadler, maître in 1776.
With its beautifully figured mahogany and restrained decoration, this bureau is a prime example of the oeuvre of Jean-François Leleu. Apprenticed alongside Jean-Henri Reisener to Jean-François Oeben, Leleu was appointed ébéniste to the Prince de Condé and is known to have supplied exceptional furniture to numerous members of the Court, including the marquis de Laborde. His furniture is distinguished by its restrained architectural character and simple undecorated lines, often mounted with superbly chased ormolu mounts of more bold and simplified character than those of his confrères.
Leleu and Stadler
This bureau is stamped by both Leleu and his son-in-law Stadler, a collaboration which probably started when the latter married Leleu's daughter-in-law in 1767. They are also known to have worked together on the superb marquetry cylinder bureau from the collection of the Barons Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild, which was sold, Christie's, London, 8 July 1999, 206. Charles-Antoine Stadler was still a free craftsman when he married the daughter-in-law of Jean-François Leleu on 19 February 1767, but only received his maîtrise on 13 November 1776, one month after the death of his spouse. The inventory drawn up on 7 October 1776 lists three work-benches, but also work completed for his father-in-law which amounted to 834 livres. It appears that he specialised in the production of marquetry, not only because the tools described would indicate this, but also because of the table described in his workshop: une table, le dessus fleurs et mosaque 336 livres.