Live Auction 5966The European Connoisseur - 500 Years Decorative Arts Europe
A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED TULIPWOOD, AMARANTH, WALNUT AND FRUITWOOD MARQUETRY BONHEUR-DU-JOUR
Lot 37 THE PROPERTY OF A NOBLEMAN

A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED TULIPWOOD, AMARANTH, WALNUT AND FRUITWOOD MARQUETRY BONHEUR-DU-JOUR

CIRCA 1780, IN THE MANNER OF CHARLES TOPINO

Closed6 December 2012

Price Realised

GBP 8,750

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A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED TULIPWOOD, AMARANTH, WALNUT AND FRUITWOOD MARQUETRY BONHEUR-DU-JOUR
CIRCA 1780, IN THE MANNER OF CHARLES TOPINO
The shaped rectangular upper section inlaid with utensils, writing instruments and flowering urns, fitted with two cupboard doors and shelf, above four short drawers and a writing-surface depicting geometric instruments, playing cards and books, the Vitruvian-scroll-inlaid frieze drawer lined in green silk, the sides conformingly-inlaid, on square tapering legs headed by guttae and floral paterae, restorations, partially remounted
37½ in. (95 cm.) high; 30½ in. (77.5 cm.) wide; 15¾ in. (40 cm.) deep

By repute, Highcliffe Castle, Hampshire and by descent to
The Earl and Countess of Abingdon.

Specialist note

With its characteristic 'naïve' marquetry of writing instruments, utensils and flowering vases inspired by the decoration of Chinese lacquer screens, this bonheur-du-jour is characteristic of the oeuvre of specialist marqueteur Charles Topino (maître in 1773) and fellow ébénistes such as Pierre Pioniez and Pierre-Harry Mewesen. A related model with naïve marquetry, 'Un petit secrétaire de bois de rose représentant des paniers de fleurs, fruits, theyers et tasses façon de la Chine...' was delivered in 1774 by the ébéniste du Roi Gilles Joubert (d. 1775) to the Garde Meuble for the use of the comte d'Artois at Compiègne (A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, Paris, 1989, p. 320). S.Barbier Sainte Marie illustrates a closely related bonheur-du-jour in Charles Topino, Paris, 2005, p.65, fig 29.