BY JEAN-JACQUES MANSER, CIRCA 1760

Born in 1727 in the Elzas, Jean-Jacques Mantzer, called Manser, is recorded in Paris in 1758, where he married the sister of the well-known ébéniste Charles Topino. He was active essentially during the Louis XVI reign, and worked closely with his brother-in-law, mostly in the trompe l'oeil decoration, typically associated with Topino. Interestingly, a pair of red Chinese lacquer commodes illustrated in Charles Topino, Sylvain Barbier Sainte Marie, Paris, 2005, pp.112, ill. 50, share the same characteristic bronze frame, composed by a frise d'entrelacs et de tournesol, often used by Topino.
A comparable commode attributed to Topino, with the same outline and partially the same mounts was sold Christies Paris, 4-5 May 2011, lot 470 (67,000 euro including premium.)