Lot Essay
A very similar Louis XV gold and lacquer box of 1754, by François-Thomas Germain, was in the Elizabeth Parke Firestone Collection, sold for $ 176,000 in our New York rooms on 19 November 1982, lot 46.
Jean Ducrollay's outstanding reputation is praised by A. Kenneth Snowman (Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, London, 1966, p. 77): "Many of the most beautiful gold boxes produced in the reign of Louis XV were made in the workshop of Jean Ducrollay, and his is the name that first suggests itself both for unvarying brilliance and craftsmanship and freshness of design." According to F. J. B. Watson and Dauterman, The Wrightsman Collection, vol. III (Furniture, Gold Boxes), New York, 1970, p. 296, "on at least two occasions, he [Ducrollay] is mentioned as buying boxes of Oriental lacquer from Lazare Duvaux (Livre-Journal, 17th December 1750, nr 680), and a much larger quantity on 4th October 1752 (nr 1225). These were unquestionably intended to be cut up and mounted en cage as gold boxes." Considering the date of the present box, it may be assumed that its lacquer panels originate from the October 1752 supply.
Jean Ducrollay's outstanding reputation is praised by A. Kenneth Snowman (Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, London, 1966, p. 77): "Many of the most beautiful gold boxes produced in the reign of Louis XV were made in the workshop of Jean Ducrollay, and his is the name that first suggests itself both for unvarying brilliance and craftsmanship and freshness of design." According to F. J. B. Watson and Dauterman, The Wrightsman Collection, vol. III (Furniture, Gold Boxes), New York, 1970, p. 296, "on at least two occasions, he [Ducrollay] is mentioned as buying boxes of Oriental lacquer from Lazare Duvaux (Livre-Journal, 17th December 1750, nr 680), and a much larger quantity on 4th October 1752 (nr 1225). These were unquestionably intended to be cut up and mounted en cage as gold boxes." Considering the date of the present box, it may be assumed that its lacquer panels originate from the October 1752 supply.