THE PROPERTY OF AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTOR (LOTS 72-78)
A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND PLUM-PUDDING MAHOGANY ARMOIREBY JEAN-HENRI RIESENER, CIRCA 1775-80
Price Realised GBP 107,100
Estimate
GBP 80,000 - GBP 120,000
Estimates do not reflect the final hammer price and do not include buyer's premium, any applicable taxes or artist's resale right. Please see the Conditions of Sale for full details.
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A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND PLUM-PUDDING MAHOGANY ARMOIRE
BY JEAN-HENRI RIESENER, CIRCA 1775-80
Price Realised GBP 107,100
Price Realised GBP 107,100
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Lot Essay
Jean-Henri Riesener (mâtre in 1768).
Arguably the most celebrated ébéniste of the late 18th century, Riesener was, along with Boulle and Cressent, one of the very few makers to be specifically named in 18th century sale catalogues. The Ebéniste du Roi was celebrated not only for his use of marquetry of the highest quality but also for his selection of the most striking mahogany which offered a stark contrast against an often rich ormolu ornementation.
His oeuvre was promoted extensively by the Court, with Marie-Antoinette ordering three commodes and two encoignures of related character for the Salon des Nobles at Versailles in 1786 (C. Frégnac et. al., Les Ebénistes du XVIIIè siècle Français, Paris, 1963, pp. 194-195).
The same sober, understated and restrained treatment can be found on the series of armoires executed by Riesener in the 1780s. This rarefied group includes a pair of closely related examples, formerly in the Collection de Richemond, subsequently acquired from Yves Perdoux, Paris, in 1920, and later in the Wildenstein Collection; an armoire displaying some of the mounts featured here (the triglyph and acanthus sprays) illustrated in J. Whitehead, The French Interior in the Eighteenth Century, London, 1992, pp.138-9, and subsequently sold, as the present lot, from the Collection Lagerfeld at Christies Monaco, April 28 2000, lot 340 (FF2,237,000). A further related armoire by Riesener was formerly in the collection X. on the rue de Varenne in Paris, in 1959, subsequently in the Collection Delplace until sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 15 June 1996, lot 77 (FF2,100,000 including premium) and again Christie's, Monaco, Collection Lagerfeld, 28-29 April 2000, lot 35 (FF3,557,500 including premium).
The present armoire was most probably that listed in the inventory drawn up on 23 September 1812, of the property of the late Baron de Baulny. In the furniture store of his hôtel on the Place Vendôme, featured: 'une grande armoire en acajou ouvrant en avant à deux parties et sur les côtés en quatre parties, chapiteaux, cintrés et ornés de pilastres cannelés et de cuivre doré 150 francs.'
Louis-César, Baron de Baulny (1744-1812), General Treasurer of the Ordinaire des Guerres was a friend of Alexandre de Calonne and of the Police-Lieutenant Lenoir. Following his marriage in 1786, he came into possession of the hôtel Talaru, rue Vivienne in Paris, at which point his fortune was valued at around 1,200,000 livres.
Arguably the most celebrated ébéniste of the late 18th century, Riesener was, along with Boulle and Cressent, one of the very few makers to be specifically named in 18th century sale catalogues. The Ebéniste du Roi was celebrated not only for his use of marquetry of the highest quality but also for his selection of the most striking mahogany which offered a stark contrast against an often rich ormolu ornementation.
His oeuvre was promoted extensively by the Court, with Marie-Antoinette ordering three commodes and two encoignures of related character for the Salon des Nobles at Versailles in 1786 (C. Frégnac et. al., Les Ebénistes du XVIIIè siècle Français, Paris, 1963, pp. 194-195).
The same sober, understated and restrained treatment can be found on the series of armoires executed by Riesener in the 1780s. This rarefied group includes a pair of closely related examples, formerly in the Collection de Richemond, subsequently acquired from Yves Perdoux, Paris, in 1920, and later in the Wildenstein Collection; an armoire displaying some of the mounts featured here (the triglyph and acanthus sprays) illustrated in J. Whitehead, The French Interior in the Eighteenth Century, London, 1992, pp.138-9, and subsequently sold, as the present lot, from the Collection Lagerfeld at Christies Monaco, April 28 2000, lot 340 (FF2,237,000). A further related armoire by Riesener was formerly in the collection X. on the rue de Varenne in Paris, in 1959, subsequently in the Collection Delplace until sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 15 June 1996, lot 77 (FF2,100,000 including premium) and again Christie's, Monaco, Collection Lagerfeld, 28-29 April 2000, lot 35 (FF3,557,500 including premium).
The present armoire was most probably that listed in the inventory drawn up on 23 September 1812, of the property of the late Baron de Baulny. In the furniture store of his hôtel on the Place Vendôme, featured: 'une grande armoire en acajou ouvrant en avant à deux parties et sur les côtés en quatre parties, chapiteaux, cintrés et ornés de pilastres cannelés et de cuivre doré 150 francs.'
Louis-César, Baron de Baulny (1744-1812), General Treasurer of the Ordinaire des Guerres was a friend of Alexandre de Calonne and of the Police-Lieutenant Lenoir. Following his marriage in 1786, he came into possession of the hôtel Talaru, rue Vivienne in Paris, at which point his fortune was valued at around 1,200,000 livres.
Lot 75
Sale 21906
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BY JEAN-HENRI RIESENER, CIRCA 1775-80
A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND PLUM-PUDDING MAHOGANY ARMOIRE
Estimate: GBP 80,000 - 120,000
Bid amount
Buyer's premium
Estimated total cost exclusive of customs duties/charges and tariffs