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Lot Essay
With distinctive pierced mounts characteristic of Lièvre’s oeuvre, this rare and extensive collection of seat furniture celebrates the designer's ability to bridge historic design with current fashions and tastes of the era. The result is the present timeless and undeniably chic set of chairs elevated further by sumptuous upholstery supplied by Francois-Joseph Graf.
A similarly-designed fauteuil and chair were included in Optima Propagare: Edouard Lièvre, Créateur de meubles et objets d'art at the Galerie Roxane Rodriguez 16 September-16 October 2004, and are illustrated in the catalogue of exhibition, pp. 44-45. Another chair of this model in Brazilian rosewood and finished with silvered mounts by the somewhat obscure cabinetmaker Lanneau, circa 1870-80, was sold Christie's, New York, 24 October 2005, lot 550.
EDOUARD LIEVRE
In the 1870s, Edouard Lièvre designed a small group of furniture in ‘le style japonais et chinois’ for important private clients and for editors of luxurious furniture and objects. His designs were made by the silversmith Christofle and bronzier Barbedienne, and by the ébéniste Paul Sormani. However, Lièvre is most often associated with the marchand-éditeur and retailer of haut-luxe furnishings L'Escalier de Cristal, which was established in 1802 by Madame Désarnaud. Acquired in 1839 by M. Lahoche, the firm passed to his son-in-law, Emile Pannier circa 1864-66. In 1885, Georges and Henry Pannier succeeded their father and, much in the tradition of the 18th century marchands-merciers, often commissioned Lièvre, Gabriel Viardot and their contemporaries to create ‘sinojaponais’ decorations incorporating enamel, Baccarat crystal, Japanese lacquer and other exotic materials.
Lièvre's sketches and their reproduction rights were sold in 1890 and a large number of the designs were purchased by George and Henry Pannier. Lièvre's eclectic designs, coupled with the superiority of the craftsmanship, commanded high prices in their showrooms. According to Henry Pannier, prices for Lièvre’s designs were up to six times higher than those of other designers, including his contemporary, Gabriel Viardot. Fascinatingly, some pages from Henry Pannier’s account book survive which list a number of orders for L'Escalier de Cristal alongside simplified pen and ink designs for étagères, console tables and Japanese-inspired cabinets (P. Thiébaut, ‘Contribution à une histoire du mobilier japonisant: Les Créations de l´Escalier de Cristal’, Revue de l’art, 1989, No. 85, p. 78).
This meticulously assembled collection, one of the most comprehensive in private hands, effectively spans the artist's oeuvre of furniture and objects. With attentive details and masterful craftmanship, this exquisite assembly of furniture and objects is ultimately a window into the Lièvre's artistic vision and an homage to his enduring influence on contemportary and historic design.
A similarly-designed fauteuil and chair were included in Optima Propagare: Edouard Lièvre, Créateur de meubles et objets d'art at the Galerie Roxane Rodriguez 16 September-16 October 2004, and are illustrated in the catalogue of exhibition, pp. 44-45. Another chair of this model in Brazilian rosewood and finished with silvered mounts by the somewhat obscure cabinetmaker Lanneau, circa 1870-80, was sold Christie's, New York, 24 October 2005, lot 550.
EDOUARD LIEVRE
In the 1870s, Edouard Lièvre designed a small group of furniture in ‘le style japonais et chinois’ for important private clients and for editors of luxurious furniture and objects. His designs were made by the silversmith Christofle and bronzier Barbedienne, and by the ébéniste Paul Sormani. However, Lièvre is most often associated with the marchand-éditeur and retailer of haut-luxe furnishings L'Escalier de Cristal, which was established in 1802 by Madame Désarnaud. Acquired in 1839 by M. Lahoche, the firm passed to his son-in-law, Emile Pannier circa 1864-66. In 1885, Georges and Henry Pannier succeeded their father and, much in the tradition of the 18th century marchands-merciers, often commissioned Lièvre, Gabriel Viardot and their contemporaries to create ‘sinojaponais’ decorations incorporating enamel, Baccarat crystal, Japanese lacquer and other exotic materials.
Lièvre's sketches and their reproduction rights were sold in 1890 and a large number of the designs were purchased by George and Henry Pannier. Lièvre's eclectic designs, coupled with the superiority of the craftsmanship, commanded high prices in their showrooms. According to Henry Pannier, prices for Lièvre’s designs were up to six times higher than those of other designers, including his contemporary, Gabriel Viardot. Fascinatingly, some pages from Henry Pannier’s account book survive which list a number of orders for L'Escalier de Cristal alongside simplified pen and ink designs for étagères, console tables and Japanese-inspired cabinets (P. Thiébaut, ‘Contribution à une histoire du mobilier japonisant: Les Créations de l´Escalier de Cristal’, Revue de l’art, 1989, No. 85, p. 78).
This meticulously assembled collection, one of the most comprehensive in private hands, effectively spans the artist's oeuvre of furniture and objects. With attentive details and masterful craftmanship, this exquisite assembly of furniture and objects is ultimately a window into the Lièvre's artistic vision and an homage to his enduring influence on contemportary and historic design.