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Lot Essay
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (d. 1843) settled in Paris in 1789 as a tabletier and furniture maker before becoming goldsmith by appointment to Napoleon I and to the principal monarchs of Europe. In 1790 he acquired the boutique Au singe violet, where he specialized in the production of richly fitted nécessaires, games-tables and compact and refined pieces of furniture.
This table relates to several games-tables by Biennais with similar outward-facing paw feet which have trade labels Au singe violet (L. Groër, Les Arts Décoratifs de 1790 à 1850, Fribourg, 1985, p. 72, figs. 116-117) and to a nearly identical table with associated dressing mirror that was sold anonymously in Christie's, London, 4 July 1996, lot 230. A further related table by Biennais, the top inset with a Wedgwood jasperware plaque, was sold Christie's, London, 23 May 2018, lot 249 (£37,500).
This table relates to several games-tables by Biennais with similar outward-facing paw feet which have trade labels Au singe violet (L. Groër, Les Arts Décoratifs de 1790 à 1850, Fribourg, 1985, p. 72, figs. 116-117) and to a nearly identical table with associated dressing mirror that was sold anonymously in Christie's, London, 4 July 1996, lot 230. A further related table by Biennais, the top inset with a Wedgwood jasperware plaque, was sold Christie's, London, 23 May 2018, lot 249 (£37,500).