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Lot Essay
This elegant and finely-chased gueridon is part of small group of virtually identical examples, which were probably designed by the celebrated architect and designer Andrei Voronikhin (1759-1814) and possibly executed by Friedrich Bergenfeldt, probably the finest bronzier active in St. Peterburg circa 1800. Voronikhin and Bergenfeldt collaborated on numerous occasions, in particular at Pavlovsk, which was redecorated to the designs of the former after the 1803 fire. The group of gueridons have largely remained in various Imperial palaces in St. Petersburg and include:
- a gueridon at Pavlovsk with a porcelain top from the Imperial Porcelain Factory, decorated with a view of Pavlovsk and dated 1798 (illustrated in A. Chenevière, Russian Furniture, London, 1988, p. 29, fig. 13);
- the pair to the above, which was with Antoine Chenevière, London, circa 1991 (illustrated in the Antique Collector, trade advertisement, June, 1991);
- a further example at Pavlovsk, but with a blue glass top from the Imperial Glass Factory (illustrated in A. Gaydamak, Russian Empire, Moscow, 2000, p. 64);
- a gueridon of larger dimensions at Gatchina, with chains between the lion masks and a pendant vase between the legs (illustrated in Applied and Decorative Arts at the Gatchina Palace Museum, St. Petersburg, 1991);
- a gueridon conceived without lower stretcher, from the collection of Jacques Doucet, sold Paris, 7 June 1912, lot 314, subsequently sold from the collection of Mme. Pierre Schlumberger, 26 February 1992, lot 66.
- a gueridon at Pavlovsk with a porcelain top from the Imperial Porcelain Factory, decorated with a view of Pavlovsk and dated 1798 (illustrated in A. Chenevière, Russian Furniture, London, 1988, p. 29, fig. 13);
- the pair to the above, which was with Antoine Chenevière, London, circa 1991 (illustrated in the Antique Collector, trade advertisement, June, 1991);
- a further example at Pavlovsk, but with a blue glass top from the Imperial Glass Factory (illustrated in A. Gaydamak, Russian Empire, Moscow, 2000, p. 64);
- a gueridon of larger dimensions at Gatchina, with chains between the lion masks and a pendant vase between the legs (illustrated in Applied and Decorative Arts at the Gatchina Palace Museum, St. Petersburg, 1991);
- a gueridon conceived without lower stretcher, from the collection of Jacques Doucet, sold Paris, 7 June 1912, lot 314, subsequently sold from the collection of Mme. Pierre Schlumberger, 26 February 1992, lot 66.