Lot Essay
The present commode à l'anglaise is a faithful 19th century reproduction of Guillaume Stöckel's celebrated model commissioned by Marie Antoinette in 1786. The original was subsequently purchased by the Crown and enlarged by Guillaume Benneman for the chambre de la Reine at St. Cloud. Though apparently unsigned, the popular model was reproduced by a number of respected 19th century ébénistes, including François Linke. Another unsigned example of the model was sold Sotheby's, New York 19 April 2007, lot 148 ($102,000).