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Lot Essay
These four mahogany torchères were sold as part of the contents of La Quinta do Anjinho ("La Quinta"), in Sintra, Portugal. La Quinta, where the Comte de Paris (d. 1999) and the Comtesse (d. 2003) settled after World War II for political reasons, was mostly furnished with items which had once belonged to his father, the Duc de Guise (d. 1940). The Duc de Guise was the son of the Duc de Chartres (d. 1910) and the great-grandson of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. He became the titular King of France as Jean III, according to Orléanist's, upon the death of Philippe VIII.
At his father's death, the Comte de Paris inherited the Château de Nouvion-en-Thierache, Northern France, with all its contents, which the Duc de Guise had himself received from his great-uncle, the Duc d'Aumale (d. 1897).
At the death of the Duc de Guise's first cousin, the Duc d'Orléans, (d. 1926), the Comte de Paris inherited most of the family portraits, historical paintings, and family jewels as well as furniture the Duc d'Orléans had himself inherited from the Duc d'Aumale.
Such furniture had originally been kept at the Palais de Palerme, one of two Sicilian residences of the Duc d'Aumale. The Duc d'Aumale had inherited a vast fortune from his father, which consisted namely of the Chantilly Estate and all its contents, later to be bequeathed by the Duc d'Aumale to the Institute of France and the Palais-Bourbon.
A serious art collector, the Duc d'Aumale is said to have amassed one of the most impressive collections of paintings, drawings and illuminated manuscripts (including the famed 15th Century "Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry" in 1856 in Italy for the sum of 18,000FF). Apart from the multitude of antiques that he bought at various auction houses (for example, the vase of Nola and the Tanagra figurines), he also acquired the collection of his father-in-law, the Prince of Salerno.
The Duc d'Aumale was the fifth and second youngest son of Louis Philippe, King of the French and Duc d'Orleans, and Marie-Amelie of Bourbon-Sicilies. He became the leader for the Orleanist cause of a constitutional monarchy in France, and despite the decree of exile entered against him, the Duc d'Aumale was nevertheless allowed to return to France as a direct result of his generous bequeathals to the French government. The Duc d'Aumale later died in Zucco, Sicily.
At his father's death, the Comte de Paris inherited the Château de Nouvion-en-Thierache, Northern France, with all its contents, which the Duc de Guise had himself received from his great-uncle, the Duc d'Aumale (d. 1897).
At the death of the Duc de Guise's first cousin, the Duc d'Orléans, (d. 1926), the Comte de Paris inherited most of the family portraits, historical paintings, and family jewels as well as furniture the Duc d'Orléans had himself inherited from the Duc d'Aumale.
Such furniture had originally been kept at the Palais de Palerme, one of two Sicilian residences of the Duc d'Aumale. The Duc d'Aumale had inherited a vast fortune from his father, which consisted namely of the Chantilly Estate and all its contents, later to be bequeathed by the Duc d'Aumale to the Institute of France and the Palais-Bourbon.
A serious art collector, the Duc d'Aumale is said to have amassed one of the most impressive collections of paintings, drawings and illuminated manuscripts (including the famed 15th Century "Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry" in 1856 in Italy for the sum of 18,000FF). Apart from the multitude of antiques that he bought at various auction houses (for example, the vase of Nola and the Tanagra figurines), he also acquired the collection of his father-in-law, the Prince of Salerno.
The Duc d'Aumale was the fifth and second youngest son of Louis Philippe, King of the French and Duc d'Orleans, and Marie-Amelie of Bourbon-Sicilies. He became the leader for the Orleanist cause of a constitutional monarchy in France, and despite the decree of exile entered against him, the Duc d'Aumale was nevertheless allowed to return to France as a direct result of his generous bequeathals to the French government. The Duc d'Aumale later died in Zucco, Sicily.