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Lot Essay
André-Charles Boulle, appointed Ebéniste, Ciseleur, Doreur et
Sculpteur du Roi in 1672.
RANDON DE BOISSET
Randon de Boisset owned four pairs of torchères or 'guéridons' by Boulle, all of which were sold in Paris on 27 February-25 March 1777. The first two pairs en partie marquetry were described as being of baluster form issuing a vase, of which the contre-partie pair (lot 794) was sold from the collections of the Earl of Normanton at Christie's London, 21 June 2000, lot 30 (£551,500).
Two further pairs are recorded under lots 795 and 796; of these the first, described as having a tige ronde (circular stem), was sold for 1,051 livres to the architect Belisard de Belicard, whilst the marchand Platrier acquired the second pair for 1000 livres.
This second pair from the Randon de Boisset sale has been identified with the pair in the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, which is illustrated in C. Bremer-David, op. cit., p.72, no.106 and p.73. Whilst the torchères at the Getty do certainly seem to be those sold from the collection of Baron von Hoorn van Vlooswyck on 22 November 1809, lot 593, their identification with those in the Randon de Boisset sale is perhaps more problematic.
Contrary to the 1777 description, no pewter inlay exists on the shaft, the tops are octagonal and they do not have a laurel-leaf border. In
contrast, this torchère matches the description exactly, and its
slightly larger height (140.76cm.) corresponds exactly with lot 796
from the Randon de Boisset sale.
It would seem more probable that Baron van Hoorn van Vlooswyck acquired the Getty torchères at the Desmarets sale in Paris, 17 March 1797, lot 159.
THE GUERIDONS OF ANDRE-CHARLES BOULLE
Intended to support rock crystal candelabra and conceived to flank a table, such guéridons/torchères were still being produced by the ébéniste in 1715, when the Acte de Delaisement between Boulle and his sons records:- six guéridons de marqueterie imparfaits (inachevés 600 livres).
In 1720, eighteen were destroyed in the terrible fire that ravaged his workshops, and this conclusively prooves that this type of furniture had not gone out of fashion.
The triangular stems of these guéridons were initially conceived by Boulle on his design for the base of a cabinet, which is now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (A 723 G.), and was subsequently reinterpreted by Boulle for the table sold from the collection of Charles Stein, Galerie George Petit, Paris, 10-14 May 1886, lot 361.
Guéridons of this model are recorded in Connaissance des Arts, May 1954 (a single one en première partie) and in Apollo, October 1971, p.78 where an identical pair in contre-partie is advertised.
JACQUES DOUCET
Jacques Doucet (1851-1929) was one of the most renowned couturiers in Paris at the turn of the century. However his fame today rests largely with the remarkable art collection he assembled for his Parisian hôtels in the rue de la Ville and, subsequently, the rue Spontini. He bought at many of the prestigious collection sales of the period, including the legendary Baron Double collection of 1881, when Doucet was just 30, acquiring masterpieces by the great ébénistes Riesener, Carlin and Boulle. The sale of his collection in 1912 following the death of his wife remains one of the landmark sales of the century. A pair of Louis XIV ormolu candelabra attributed to Boulle from the Doucet sale was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 21 May 1996, lot 249.
Sculpteur du Roi in 1672.
RANDON DE BOISSET
Randon de Boisset owned four pairs of torchères or 'guéridons' by Boulle, all of which were sold in Paris on 27 February-25 March 1777. The first two pairs en partie marquetry were described as being of baluster form issuing a vase, of which the contre-partie pair (lot 794) was sold from the collections of the Earl of Normanton at Christie's London, 21 June 2000, lot 30 (£551,500).
Two further pairs are recorded under lots 795 and 796; of these the first, described as having a tige ronde (circular stem), was sold for 1,051 livres to the architect Belisard de Belicard, whilst the marchand Platrier acquired the second pair for 1000 livres.
This second pair from the Randon de Boisset sale has been identified with the pair in the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, which is illustrated in C. Bremer-David, op. cit., p.72, no.106 and p.73. Whilst the torchères at the Getty do certainly seem to be those sold from the collection of Baron von Hoorn van Vlooswyck on 22 November 1809, lot 593, their identification with those in the Randon de Boisset sale is perhaps more problematic.
Contrary to the 1777 description, no pewter inlay exists on the shaft, the tops are octagonal and they do not have a laurel-leaf border. In
contrast, this torchère matches the description exactly, and its
slightly larger height (140.76cm.) corresponds exactly with lot 796
from the Randon de Boisset sale.
It would seem more probable that Baron van Hoorn van Vlooswyck acquired the Getty torchères at the Desmarets sale in Paris, 17 March 1797, lot 159.
THE GUERIDONS OF ANDRE-CHARLES BOULLE
Intended to support rock crystal candelabra and conceived to flank a table, such guéridons/torchères were still being produced by the ébéniste in 1715, when the Acte de Delaisement between Boulle and his sons records:- six guéridons de marqueterie imparfaits (inachevés 600 livres).
In 1720, eighteen were destroyed in the terrible fire that ravaged his workshops, and this conclusively prooves that this type of furniture had not gone out of fashion.
The triangular stems of these guéridons were initially conceived by Boulle on his design for the base of a cabinet, which is now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (A 723 G.), and was subsequently reinterpreted by Boulle for the table sold from the collection of Charles Stein, Galerie George Petit, Paris, 10-14 May 1886, lot 361.
Guéridons of this model are recorded in Connaissance des Arts, May 1954 (a single one en première partie) and in Apollo, October 1971, p.78 where an identical pair in contre-partie is advertised.
JACQUES DOUCET
Jacques Doucet (1851-1929) was one of the most renowned couturiers in Paris at the turn of the century. However his fame today rests largely with the remarkable art collection he assembled for his Parisian hôtels in the rue de la Ville and, subsequently, the rue Spontini. He bought at many of the prestigious collection sales of the period, including the legendary Baron Double collection of 1881, when Doucet was just 30, acquiring masterpieces by the great ébénistes Riesener, Carlin and Boulle. The sale of his collection in 1912 following the death of his wife remains one of the landmark sales of the century. A pair of Louis XIV ormolu candelabra attributed to Boulle from the Doucet sale was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 21 May 1996, lot 249.