.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Noël Gérard, flourished 1690-1736.
Nicolas Petit, maître in 1761.
This elegant and richly-mounted bureau plat is part of a group of related examples, which are very similar in shape and the use of dark veneers, but show differences in the principal mounts. This relatively large group of bureaux has traditionally been attributed to Noël Gérard, whose stamp 'NG' appears on one of these, namely the bureau in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio (A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, Paris, 1989, pp. 112-114). Besides the bureau in Toledo and the present example, the group includes, amongst others, one in the Bayerisches Museum, Munich, one in the Neue Residenz Bamberg (formerly in the Residenz, Munich), a further example in the Residenz in Ansbach, and finally a bureau sold from the collection of the Earl of Stair, Christie's London, 6 April 1978, lot 58. A further related example, but veneered in amaranth, was sold from the collection of Hubert de Saint Senoch, Sotheby's Monaco, 4 December 1983, lot 290.
However, the discovery of François Lieutaud's stamp 'FL' on the Ansbach bureau has prompted further research into the group, which has exposed various differences and allows for a further sub-division within the bureaux listed above (C. Graf von Pfeil, Die Möbel der Residenz Ansbach, Munich, 1999, no. 10, pp. 76-78). This justifies the re-attribution of at least some of them to Lieutaud; obviously the one stamped by him but also the bureau in the Residenz Bamberg. The other bureaux mentioned above, including the present example, can be attributed to Gérard. This is also confirmed by a further Boulle marquetry bureau stamped 'NG', sold from the collection of the Marquess of Bute, Christie's London, 3 July 1996, lot 50, which has the same distinctive Hercules mask draped in the Nemean lion's pelt to the sides, which also appears on the Stair and the present example.
It is thought that Gérard purchased various models of furniture and mounts from the sons of André-Charles Boulle after his death in 1732. These mounts are early 18th Century remoulages or after-casts of original cire perdue or 'lost-wax' mounts; this latter technique was used exclusively in the atelier of André-Charles Boulle and his sons. Moreover, one can certainly see much of Boulle's influence in Gérard's oeuvre and the heavy stance of this bureau, combined with some of Boulle's characteristic mounts and the use of the brass-inlaid stringing on an ebonised ground, is reminiscent of the little-known work of Boulle fils during the 1730s.
THRUMPTON AND THE MARQUIS DE LAUZERNE
In the late 18th Century, Thrumpton Hall and Langford Grove in Essex were owned by two brothers, Nicholas Wescomb (Langford) and John Emerton Wescomb Emerton (Thrumpton). In 1912, the owner of Thrumpton, Lucy Byron, née Wescomb, died and it was between then and 1916 that her nephew and heir, the 10th Lord Byron, came to live at Thrumpton, bringing furniture with him from Langford. The Wescomb family papers (Nottinghamshire Record Office), comprise over 144 letters between Nicholas Wescomb of Langford Grove and his brother, John Emerton Wescomb Emerton (1745-1823) of Thrumpton Hall. Most of these letters are simply interesting as a record of the rather lonely life of a Nottinghamshire squire, but John does write about alterations and improvements he made to Thrumpton and a set of chairs that he commissioned. In a letter from London to his brother in Essex, dated 3 March 1792, John describes two auctions that are being staged at that time (those of the Marquis de Lauzerne (sic), and Captain Dunbar, 'going to India'). The Marquis de Luzerne was a French emigré and former Ambassador. He was also a famous silver collector and the Wescomb letter in fact goes into considerable detail about the silver in the auction, suggesting that Nicholas Wescomb was thinking of buying that as well as furniture. John Wescomb Emerton, the owner of Thrumpton, was clearly helping his brother in a search for furniture, and he adds the comment that 'I wish I knew what you want, besides a sofa. I will endeavour to get catalogues, and if I have time extract some of the principal articles'. It is clear that his brother, who had built Langford ten years earlier, was still buying furniture for it in the 1790s and was considering buying second hand furniture at auction. It is therefore entirely possible that this bureau plat was acquired in the late 18th Century at one of these auctions - even though the major building works at Thrumpton Hall occurred much later in the 19th Century - as we know that the bureau was at Thrumpton by 1838. The bureau is not, however, amongst the pieces included in the Christie's sale for 'Luzerne' in Spring 1792.
The 'Marquis de Lauzerne' may be the same as César-Henri, comte de La Luzerne, (1737-1799), diplomat, ambassador and Ministre de la Marine in the last years before the French Revolution. Interestingly, in this position, he succeeded such well known art collectors as Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville and the duc de Choiseul. Following this, he held several important responsibilities in the Acadéie Royale des Sciences and the Assemblie Nationale.
We are extremely grateful to Miranda Seymour for her help in researching this footnote.
Nicolas Petit, maître in 1761.
This elegant and richly-mounted bureau plat is part of a group of related examples, which are very similar in shape and the use of dark veneers, but show differences in the principal mounts. This relatively large group of bureaux has traditionally been attributed to Noël Gérard, whose stamp 'NG' appears on one of these, namely the bureau in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio (A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, Paris, 1989, pp. 112-114). Besides the bureau in Toledo and the present example, the group includes, amongst others, one in the Bayerisches Museum, Munich, one in the Neue Residenz Bamberg (formerly in the Residenz, Munich), a further example in the Residenz in Ansbach, and finally a bureau sold from the collection of the Earl of Stair, Christie's London, 6 April 1978, lot 58. A further related example, but veneered in amaranth, was sold from the collection of Hubert de Saint Senoch, Sotheby's Monaco, 4 December 1983, lot 290.
However, the discovery of François Lieutaud's stamp 'FL' on the Ansbach bureau has prompted further research into the group, which has exposed various differences and allows for a further sub-division within the bureaux listed above (C. Graf von Pfeil, Die Möbel der Residenz Ansbach, Munich, 1999, no. 10, pp. 76-78). This justifies the re-attribution of at least some of them to Lieutaud; obviously the one stamped by him but also the bureau in the Residenz Bamberg. The other bureaux mentioned above, including the present example, can be attributed to Gérard. This is also confirmed by a further Boulle marquetry bureau stamped 'NG', sold from the collection of the Marquess of Bute, Christie's London, 3 July 1996, lot 50, which has the same distinctive Hercules mask draped in the Nemean lion's pelt to the sides, which also appears on the Stair and the present example.
It is thought that Gérard purchased various models of furniture and mounts from the sons of André-Charles Boulle after his death in 1732. These mounts are early 18th Century remoulages or after-casts of original cire perdue or 'lost-wax' mounts; this latter technique was used exclusively in the atelier of André-Charles Boulle and his sons. Moreover, one can certainly see much of Boulle's influence in Gérard's oeuvre and the heavy stance of this bureau, combined with some of Boulle's characteristic mounts and the use of the brass-inlaid stringing on an ebonised ground, is reminiscent of the little-known work of Boulle fils during the 1730s.
THRUMPTON AND THE MARQUIS DE LAUZERNE
In the late 18th Century, Thrumpton Hall and Langford Grove in Essex were owned by two brothers, Nicholas Wescomb (Langford) and John Emerton Wescomb Emerton (Thrumpton). In 1912, the owner of Thrumpton, Lucy Byron, née Wescomb, died and it was between then and 1916 that her nephew and heir, the 10th Lord Byron, came to live at Thrumpton, bringing furniture with him from Langford. The Wescomb family papers (Nottinghamshire Record Office), comprise over 144 letters between Nicholas Wescomb of Langford Grove and his brother, John Emerton Wescomb Emerton (1745-1823) of Thrumpton Hall. Most of these letters are simply interesting as a record of the rather lonely life of a Nottinghamshire squire, but John does write about alterations and improvements he made to Thrumpton and a set of chairs that he commissioned. In a letter from London to his brother in Essex, dated 3 March 1792, John describes two auctions that are being staged at that time (those of the Marquis de Lauzerne (sic), and Captain Dunbar, 'going to India'). The Marquis de Luzerne was a French emigré and former Ambassador. He was also a famous silver collector and the Wescomb letter in fact goes into considerable detail about the silver in the auction, suggesting that Nicholas Wescomb was thinking of buying that as well as furniture. John Wescomb Emerton, the owner of Thrumpton, was clearly helping his brother in a search for furniture, and he adds the comment that 'I wish I knew what you want, besides a sofa. I will endeavour to get catalogues, and if I have time extract some of the principal articles'. It is clear that his brother, who had built Langford ten years earlier, was still buying furniture for it in the 1790s and was considering buying second hand furniture at auction. It is therefore entirely possible that this bureau plat was acquired in the late 18th Century at one of these auctions - even though the major building works at Thrumpton Hall occurred much later in the 19th Century - as we know that the bureau was at Thrumpton by 1838. The bureau is not, however, amongst the pieces included in the Christie's sale for 'Luzerne' in Spring 1792.
The 'Marquis de Lauzerne' may be the same as César-Henri, comte de La Luzerne, (1737-1799), diplomat, ambassador and Ministre de la Marine in the last years before the French Revolution. Interestingly, in this position, he succeeded such well known art collectors as Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville and the duc de Choiseul. Following this, he held several important responsibilities in the Acadéie Royale des Sciences and the Assemblie Nationale.
We are extremely grateful to Miranda Seymour for her help in researching this footnote.