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Lot Essay
Stylistically, this bureau plat would traditionally have been associated with the oeuvre of Etienne Doirat, such as the comparable amaranth desk in the Huntington Museum, California (cat.no. 2) which is attributed to Doirat. However, there is no categoric basis for this attribution as no directly comparable signed piece survives, nor are the mounts distinctively a model employed by Doirat - and Doirat's production, at the time of his death in 1732 consisted mostly of commodes, with only two ebonized desks ("bureaux en poirier noirci").
A more interesting comparison can be drawn with a maître ébéniste of the 1710/1720s who is traditionally known as "Le Maître du Bureau de l'Electeur' of Bavaria. J.N. Ronfort et J.D. Augarde, 'Le Maître du Bureau de l'Electeur', L'Estampille L'Objet d'Art, January 1991, pp. 42-75 have argued that this anonymous master can be identified with Bernard van Risenburgh père, known as BVRB 1 (1660-1738).
This bureau plat, displaying great technical virtuosity in its construction, shares the same distinctive female-head espagnolette angle mounts with the celebrated bureau à pendule made for Maximillian, Elector of Bavaria (d.1726). These same mounts also feature on a commode in the Toledo Museum, on a desk at the Wallace collection and a commode at Longleat House, Wiltshire as well as on a pedestal clock from the Hampden Collection, subsequently sold from the collection of the Marquess of Linlithgow, Christie's London, 26 November 1970, lot 13. Intriguingly, all of these pieces are executed in polychrome Boulle marquetry.
The distinctive inventory number 502R is probably that of the French Rothschilds. Related inventory numbers are recorded in both black and red paint, the R appearing both before and after the three digit numbers. Examples include the celebrated commode made for the Dauphine at Choisy (the Riahi Collection, sold Christie's New York, 2 November 2000, lot 20) as well as on the Riesener suite of lacquer furniture sold from the collection of Akram Ojjeh, 11-12 December 1999, lot 35.
This bureau is no doubt an exceptionally important, possible Royal commission. Besides the extremely thick amaranth veneers and finely cast and chased mounts, the leather top has fleurs-de-lys to the corners and the escutcheons are embellished with dolphins, symbols for Dauphin. Both would suggest a Royal commission.
A more interesting comparison can be drawn with a maître ébéniste of the 1710/1720s who is traditionally known as "Le Maître du Bureau de l'Electeur' of Bavaria. J.N. Ronfort et J.D. Augarde, 'Le Maître du Bureau de l'Electeur', L'Estampille L'Objet d'Art, January 1991, pp. 42-75 have argued that this anonymous master can be identified with Bernard van Risenburgh père, known as BVRB 1 (1660-1738).
This bureau plat, displaying great technical virtuosity in its construction, shares the same distinctive female-head espagnolette angle mounts with the celebrated bureau à pendule made for Maximillian, Elector of Bavaria (d.1726). These same mounts also feature on a commode in the Toledo Museum, on a desk at the Wallace collection and a commode at Longleat House, Wiltshire as well as on a pedestal clock from the Hampden Collection, subsequently sold from the collection of the Marquess of Linlithgow, Christie's London, 26 November 1970, lot 13. Intriguingly, all of these pieces are executed in polychrome Boulle marquetry.
The distinctive inventory number 502R is probably that of the French Rothschilds. Related inventory numbers are recorded in both black and red paint, the R appearing both before and after the three digit numbers. Examples include the celebrated commode made for the Dauphine at Choisy (the Riahi Collection, sold Christie's New York, 2 November 2000, lot 20) as well as on the Riesener suite of lacquer furniture sold from the collection of Akram Ojjeh, 11-12 December 1999, lot 35.
This bureau is no doubt an exceptionally important, possible Royal commission. Besides the extremely thick amaranth veneers and finely cast and chased mounts, the leather top has fleurs-de-lys to the corners and the escutcheons are embellished with dolphins, symbols for Dauphin. Both would suggest a Royal commission.