André-Charles Boulle
The Great Genius of Innovation in Furniture

An incomparable array of furniture by the great genius of furniture making, André-Charles Boulle, includes three superb ormolu-mounted brass-inlaid ebony and tortoiseshell marquetry bureaux plats. The largest and earliest, a late Louis XIV example, was acquired from the Collection Kraemer on 17 October 1928 (estimate: £1,500,000-3,000,000). The second, dating to the Louis XV period, was from the Collection of Alfred Morrison at Fonthill and acquired at Christie's in 1927 (estimate: £250,000-400,000). The third, also a Louis XV and attributable to Boulle fils, is remarkably rare in that it retains its original cartonnier or filing cabinet surmounted by a sumptuous sculptural group displaying a clock by Enderlin which has one of the earliest rotating dials (estimate: £300,000-500,000). This latter example was acquired from the Collection of Eugene Foulc - whose Renaissance and Medieval Collection had also been sold by Nathan Wildenstein for over $1 million in 1931 to form the nucleus of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Further highlights from the grande galerie on the first floor of 57, rue de la Boétie include a matched pair of Louis XIV ormolu-mounted brass-inlaid tortoiseshell marquetry console tables by André-Charles Boulle acquired at the Jacques Helft sale in 1923 (estimate: £1,000,000-1,500,000) and a Louis XIV ormolu-mounted and boulle marquetry armoire attributed to André-Charles Boulle, acquired at the Seligmann sale in 1930 (estimate; £400,000-600,000).

The celebrated ébéniste André-Charles Boulle's (1642-1732) unparalleled fame rests upon his extraordinary technical virtuosity, his innovation in both technique and design, his brilliance as a sculptor and his love and inventive use of rare and exotic materials. Christened by his contemporaries as "the most skilful artisan in Paris," André-Charles Boulle's name is synonymous with the practice of veneering furniture with marquetry of tortoiseshell, pewter, and brass. Although he did not invent the technique, Boulle was its greatest practitioner and also lent his name to its common name: boulle work. Boulle also specialized in floral marquetry in both stained and naturally coloured wood. Many of his designs are illustrated in the famous book of engravings published in Paris around 1720. Boulle became a master before 1666, and in 1672 the King granted him the royal privilege of lodgings in the Palais du Louvre. In the same year, he achieved the title of cabinetmaker and sculptor to Louis XIV, King of France. This new title allowed him to produce furniture as well as works in gilt bronze such as chandeliers, wall-lights, and mounts.

Sale 7171, Lot 15
Attributed to
Andre-Charles Boulle
A Louis XIV ormolu-mounted and Boulle brass-inlaid brown tortoiseshell bureau plat, c. 1710
31 3/4 in. (80.5 cm.) high;
80 1/2 in. (204 cm.) wide;
41 1/4 in. (105 cm.) deep
Estimate: £1,500,000-3,000,000