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Lot Essay
Ferdinand Bury, maître in 1774.
With its richly-figured plum-pudding mahogany and restrained decoration, this bureau is a prime example of the oeuvre of Ferdinand Bury, whose production is distinguished by its architectural character and simple undecorated lines.
The present example can be related to various bureaux à cylindre executed by the celebrated ébéniste Jean-François Leleu (maître in 1764), including one sold from the Wildenstein collection, Christie's, London, 14-15 December 2005, lot 370, and Christie's, London, 1 December 2005, lot 223.
Bury was based in the rue de Charonne where he was active until 1789 when he filed for bankruptcy. The papers filed at that date reveal that he retailed furniture through marchands-merciers Bonnemain, Mathieu Law, Gavanet and Jean-Baptiste Tuart.
Interestingly, the existence of the Bury's stamp alongside that of the celebrated ébéniste de la Couronne Jean-Henri Riesener (maître in 1768) on a commode that bears the brand for the château de Versailles, indicates that the two collaborated occasionally (D. Alcouffe, Furniture Collections in the Louvre, Dijon, 1993, p. 269). The distinctive resemblance of the latter commode with many of Bury's pieces furthermore suggests that it was Riesener who subcontracted the work to Bury.
With its richly-figured plum-pudding mahogany and restrained decoration, this bureau is a prime example of the oeuvre of Ferdinand Bury, whose production is distinguished by its architectural character and simple undecorated lines.
The present example can be related to various bureaux à cylindre executed by the celebrated ébéniste Jean-François Leleu (maître in 1764), including one sold from the Wildenstein collection, Christie's, London, 14-15 December 2005, lot 370, and Christie's, London, 1 December 2005, lot 223.
Bury was based in the rue de Charonne where he was active until 1789 when he filed for bankruptcy. The papers filed at that date reveal that he retailed furniture through marchands-merciers Bonnemain, Mathieu Law, Gavanet and Jean-Baptiste Tuart.
Interestingly, the existence of the Bury's stamp alongside that of the celebrated ébéniste de la Couronne Jean-Henri Riesener (maître in 1768) on a commode that bears the brand for the château de Versailles, indicates that the two collaborated occasionally (D. Alcouffe, Furniture Collections in the Louvre, Dijon, 1993, p. 269). The distinctive resemblance of the latter commode with many of Bury's pieces furthermore suggests that it was Riesener who subcontracted the work to Bury.