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Lot Essay
This unique cylinder bureau-cabinet was constructed in 1776 in Lausanne by the Swiss ibiniste F. Bousser, who literally left his calling-card on the draw-leaf where he made a "Trompe l'oeuil" of playing-cards, envelopes and a card inscribed: F. Bousser / Ebéniste .. 1776 / à Losanne. In spite of the fact that there is not much known about this cabinetmaker, this bureau must have been made for a highly important Swiss. Indications of this are an up to now unknown coat of arms, bearing crossed keys on a star-motif above a shell, situated in the cornice of the superstructure and a circular monogram with the initials ALJ situated above the cylinder.
In spite of the fact that bureau-cabinet was conceived in Switzerland, the used materials and craftsmanship show high quality and in many aspects it was inspired on examples in the Transition Style of the late 1760's and 1770's. Typical examples are the trophies, emblematic of war and music on the cylinder and the cube parquetry pattern to the sides.
To the inside of the left door of the superstructure there is an old receipt:
J'ai recu de Mr. le D. Tissot cent
Trente francs pour prix du bureau
De Mr. Jaquemin qu'il ... le samedi
... dus courant a l'auction qu'en
... fairait faite en mon nom Mr. le Procu-
reur W ... a Lausanne ce mardi
15 may 178? E Del ...
The receipt is written in old French and tells us that this bureau was sold to Monsieur le Docteur Tissot for the amount of 130 Swiss francs. This Docteur Tissot is for certain the famous French-Swiss physician Samuel Auguste Andri David Tissot, who practised medicine in Lausanne and published numerous books on hygiene. Via his wife Charlotte the bureau came in possession of the D'Apples family and thence by descent. Unfortunately nothing is known about the previous owner Monsieur Jaquemin who also is mentioned in the note.
In spite of the fact that bureau-cabinet was conceived in Switzerland, the used materials and craftsmanship show high quality and in many aspects it was inspired on examples in the Transition Style of the late 1760's and 1770's. Typical examples are the trophies, emblematic of war and music on the cylinder and the cube parquetry pattern to the sides.
To the inside of the left door of the superstructure there is an old receipt:
J'ai recu de Mr. le D. Tissot cent
Trente francs pour prix du bureau
De Mr. Jaquemin qu'il ... le samedi
... dus courant a l'auction qu'en
... fairait faite en mon nom Mr. le Procu-
reur W ... a Lausanne ce mardi
15 may 178? E Del ...
The receipt is written in old French and tells us that this bureau was sold to Monsieur le Docteur Tissot for the amount of 130 Swiss francs. This Docteur Tissot is for certain the famous French-Swiss physician Samuel Auguste Andri David Tissot, who practised medicine in Lausanne and published numerous books on hygiene. Via his wife Charlotte the bureau came in possession of the D'Apples family and thence by descent. Unfortunately nothing is known about the previous owner Monsieur Jaquemin who also is mentioned in the note.