A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED BOIS SATINE AND EBONY COMMODE
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTION (LOTS 156-163)
A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED BOIS SATINE AND EBONY COMMODE

BY ANDRE-LOUIS GILBERT, CIRCA 1775

Details
A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED BOIS SATINE AND EBONY COMMODE
BY ANDRE-LOUIS GILBERT, CIRCA 1775
The rectangular breakfront grey-veined white marble top with canted angles above a panelled frieze mounted with flutes and husks and fitted with three short drawers, above two long drawers with laurel-wrapped loop handles, with stiff-leaf surrounds flanked by rosettes, centred by a ribbon-tied laurel wreath, the shaped apron with pierced foliage, the angles with ribbon-tied and tasseled scientific trophies, the panelled sides mounted conformingly, on square-sectioned tapering legs headed by foliate and beaded mounts and terminating in square sabots, stamped twice 'A.L. Gilbert' and 'JME', restorations, partly remounted
35¼ in. (89.5 cm.) high; 51 in. (129.5 cm.) wide; 24¾ in. (63 cm.) deep
Provenance
Christie's, London 6 December 2007, lot 37, where acquired by the present owner.

Brought to you by

Celia Harvey
Celia Harvey

Lot Essay

This elegant and richly-mounted commode features several elements that are characteristic of the oeuvre of André-Louis Gilbert (maître in 1774). Among such, the recessed stiff-leaf surrounds flanked by rosettes to the corners, and the distinctive pierced apron mount which can be found on related commodes by Gilbert, including one sold, Christie's, Paris, 28 April 2005, lot 326, another from The Edward James Collection, West Dean Park, Chichester, West Sussex, sold, Christie's house sale, 2-3 and 6 June 1986, lot 135.

The angle mounts - cast with elaborate trophies emblematic of the Applied Sciences, incorporating ribbon-hung caduceus, terrestrial globe, compass and book, and ending in tassels - are of particular interest. These seemingly idiosyncratic angle mounts can be found on related commodes by Gilbert, among which a commode in the Frick Collection, New York (ref. 18.5.38), illustrated in The Frick Collection, V, Furniture Italian & French, Princeton, 1992, p. 373, and another, offered, Christie's, Paris, 21 June 2007, lot 255. A variation on the same theme - with ribbon-hung musical attributes and tassel boss - can be found on the above-mentioned commode by Gilbert from the Edward James Collection.

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