BY JOSEPH-EMMANUEL ZWIENER, PARIS, CIRCA 1900

Details

A FRENCH ORMOLU-MOUNTED KINGWOOD, BOIS SATINE AND MARQUETRY BUREAU PLAT
BY JOSEPH-EMMANUEL ZWIENER, PARIS, CIRCA 1900
One side with two frieze drawers, the espagnolette angle mounts on cabriole legs, the reverse of the mounts stamped 'ZN'
30 ½ in. (77.5 cm.) high; 58 in. (147.5 cm.) wide; 31 ½ in. (80 cm.) deep

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.

Brought to you by

Giles Forster

gforster@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2146

Lot Essay

This sumptuous bureau plat is a tour de force of Rococo-inspired splendour and simultaneously celebrates the combined genius of Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener's superior craftsmanship with Léon Messagé's Art Nouveau-infused designs. Here Messagé embraces the asymmetry characterized by Rococo designers such as J.A. Meissonnier by creating sinuous lines and dramatic encadrements. The exceptional quality of Zwiener's craftsmanship and extensive usage of fine gilt-bronze invites comparisons to the work of famed ébéniste, François Linke (1855-1946). Zwiener almost certainly employed Linke, who was six years younger and a fellow German-speaker. Both cabinetmakers used mounts by the gifted sculptor, Léon Messagé, whose studio on the rue Sedaine was in close proximity to the Zwiener workshops and Linke's at 170, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. It is likely that Zwiener introduced Linke to Messagé's work. Compare another bureau of this model, with identical busts to the corner but more plainly mounted to the frieze, sold Sotheby’s, New York, 13-14 April 2016, lot 648 ($43,750).

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