Live Auction 7841500 Years: Decorative Arts Europe
Christie’s roundel
Lot 45 THE PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN COLLECTOR (LOTS 35-52)

A SUITE OF 'BOULLE' FURNITURE FROM BADEN-BADEN

A PAIR OF NAPOLEON III ORMOLU-MOUNTED CUT-BRASS-INLAID TORTOISESHELL AND EBONISED 'BOULLE' MEUBLES D'APPUI

THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Closed29 April 2010

Price Realised

GBP 27,500

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A PAIR OF NAPOLEON III ORMOLU-MOUNTED CUT-BRASS-INLAID TORTOISESHELL AND EBONISED 'BOULLE' MEUBLES D'APPUI
THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Each of serpentine outshape and decorated overall with scrolled arabesques, one in première partie and the other in contre partie, each with a moulded white marble top above a frieze drawer and cupboard door enclosing two shelves, the angles headed by caryatids, on a shaped apron and block feet, each with 'Schloss Inventar Karlsruhe', Baden and crest paper-labels to the back, one with pencil inscription beneath the marble 'Das Schloss umgeräumt/im Mai 1931/Berthold/Markgraf von Baden'
43¾ in. (111 cm.) high; 42 in. (106.5 cm.) wide; 18 in. (46 cm.) deep (2)

The Margraves and Grand Dukes of Baden, Schloss Karlsruhe, by descent. Sotheby's, 'Die Sammlung der Markgrafen und Grossherzge von Baden', Baden-Baden, 5-21 October 1995, lot 1119 (DM84,000).

Specialist note

This suite of 'Boulle' furniture (lots 45-48) adorned the apartments of the Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden (1826-1907) and his consort Princess Louise of Prussia (1838-1923) at the Karlsruhe Palace, Germany. It is likely to have been commissioned as part of refurbishments occasioned by Frederick's accession to the the dukedom and his marriage to Princess Louise in 1856. The meubles d'appui (lot 45) are shown in a photograph of the so-called 'Family Room' at the Karlsruhe Palace circa 1900. The suite was possibly removed from Karlsruhe when Princess Louise retired to Baden-Baden after 1918 and was subsequently sold at auction at Neues Schloss in 1995.