A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED CHINESE FLAMBE-GLAZED SMALL PORCELAIN VASE

1 More

4 More

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK … Read more

La Maison du Lac I first met these clients in 1988, through a mutual friend and client, Yves Lambelin, whose apartment in Paris was my first big project. I remember my arrival at Founex, where I was warmly welcomed, Caroline, with a strong sense of humour, declaring at the time: “I like my house very much, and would not change a thing…”. Our first collaboration was at their Saint Tropez property, where, after having largely modified the Provencal house, I had the pleasure of working with them on the decoration and furnishing of the Mas Saint Jaume, where they happily entertained family and friends. When they decided to acquire an apartment in Paris, they opted for a charming first floor flat on the Quai Voltaire. I was entrusted with the reconfiguration, decoration and furnishing; it was a perfectly atypical place with lots of charm and whimsy. Finally, the time had come to rethink the property on Lake Geneva. The clients had been alongside me on my journey of discovery of 19th-century works of art, and together we decided that by extending the villa slightly, completely redoing the façades and entirely re-structuring the interior, we would breathe new life and soul to this house by re-creating the atmosphere it would once have had at the turn of the century: a Viennese winter garden, a Japanese-themed dining room, an English library, a neo-Greek gallery, and a large artist’s studio directly over the lake. Most of the objects and furniture were purchased from antique dealers, and this way we were able, with lots of perseverance, to carefully select pieces from extraordinary artists such as Sauvrezy, Edouard Lièvre, Josef Hoffman, Dalpayrat, Serrurier-Bovy, Bellery-Desfontaines, and W.A.S. Benson. All the fabrics, woven to my designs or following those in the archive boxes of Le Manach and Tassinari, underline the importance of pattern in the conception of an interior scheme. As well as a preponderance of passementerie, which maison Declercq mastered with such expert skill. There were magnificent Japanese golden brocades on an ink ground, for a set of chairs by Edouard Lièvre, woven by Le Manach; spectacular Japonisme bird curtains, designed to frame the artist’s studio on the lake; a silk box from the same atelier; astonishing velvets with printed fans by Tassinari for the dining room; precious lampas with yellow, bronze and purple hydrangeas by Le Manach for the guest room curtains; brocades, embroidered damasks from Cornely, embossed velvets and printed slubbed silks adorned armchairs, chairs and canapés for this wonderful house. The quality of the French artisans who worked on the decoration of the house allowed us also to achieve an homogenous ensemble and gave this house a particular identity, atmosphere, and a unique décor. I have very fond memories of the years working on this project: both hysterical laughter and storms worthy of a month in August by the lake… I felt very emotional recently looking back at photos of this house, designed more than twenty years ago. I can gladly imagine acquiring, for myself or for my clients, certain pieces that remind me of some very happy moments in my life. Time goes by, but beautiful objects remain. Properties close, others get purchased and new collectors will, I am sure, thanks to this lovely auction, have the pleasure of discovering and falling in love with this collection, in all its quality, charm and colour.

A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED CHINESE FLAMBE-GLAZED SMALL PORCELAIN VASE

MID-18TH CENTURY

Details

A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED CHINESE FLAMBE-GLAZED SMALL PORCELAIN VASE
MID-18TH CENTURY
The twin handles cast with scrolling acanthus, on a pierced C-scroll and acanthus-cast base
4 3⁄4 in. (12 cm.) high; 4 in. (10 cm.) wide

Provenance

Acquired from Etienne Levy, Paris.

Special notice

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Charlotte Young Associate Director, Specialist

Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this

cyoung@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2730

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

More from Au Bord Du Lac: An interior by François-Joseph Graf

View All