Live Auction 5966The European Connoisseur - 500 Years Decorative Arts Europe
A NORTH ITALIAN PARCEL-GILT, POLYCHROME-DECORATED AND SILVERED 'GROTTO' WRITING-TABLE
Lot 12 THE PROPERTY OF A LADY (LOTS 12-14)

A NORTH ITALIAN PARCEL-GILT, POLYCHROME-DECORATED AND SILVERED 'GROTTO' WRITING-TABLE

ATTRIBUTED TO PAULY & CIE, VENICE, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Closed6 December 2012

Price Realised

GBP 22,500

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A NORTH ITALIAN PARCEL-GILT, POLYCHROME-DECORATED AND SILVERED 'GROTTO' WRITING-TABLE
ATTRIBUTED TO PAULY & CIE, VENICE, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Naturalistically-carved overall, the shell top surmounted by a conch-shaped drawer, and a clam shell enclosing two inkwells, above a frieze with two shell-carved drawers and a gilt-tooled tan leather writing-surface with conch handle, on dolphin supports, above a rocaille base carved with further shells
36¼ in. (92 cm.) high; 44 in. (112 cm.) wide; 24½ in. (62 cm.) deep

Acquired from Peter Petrou, London, circa 1996-98.

Specialist note

These whimsical 'Grotto' stools, with their clam or scallop-shells emblematic of Venus, are typical of the late 19th Century fashion for 'fantasy furniture' (B. Newman, Fantasy Furniture, New York, 1989, pp. 57-78). Although rarely labelled, this furniture seems to have been executed in Venice by both Pauly et Cie and Remy & Ci - both of whom described themselves as a 'Fabrique de Meubles, Verreries, Marbres'. A closely related 'grotto' table was sold Christie's, London, 22 September 2011, lot 236 (£20,000 with premium).