A FINE FRENCH ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND SYCAMORE GUERIDON
Lot 393

A FINE FRENCH ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND SYCAMORE GUERIDON

BY PAUL SORMANI, PARIS, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Closed19 April 2012

Price Realised

USD 92,500

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A FINE FRENCH ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY AND SYCAMORE GUERIDON
BY PAUL SORMANI, PARIS, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
The brèche marble top above a conforming frieze mounted with allegorical trophies, on alternating male and female herm supports joined by a pierced loop stretcher, on spiral-fluted feet, the foliate molding signed P. SORMANI PARIS
30 3/8 in. (77.2 cm.) high, 30½ in. (77.5 cm.) diameter

Specialist note

This guéridon, designed in the goût Weisweiler, epitomizes the supreme quality of Sormani's oeuvre. The model was also produced by Sormani's contemporary, Henry Dasson, an example of which is illustrated in D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le mobilier français du XIXe siècle, Paris, 1989, p. 148. Another example by Sormani was sold Christie's, New York, 21 October 2010, lot 265 ($122,500).

Paul Sormani (d. 1877) produced standard and fantasy furniture described as meubles de luxe. Operating from a large premises at 114, rue du Temple and, from 1867, at 10, rue Charlot, he specialized in reproducing styles of the Louis XV and XVI eras and his work was thought to reveal 'une qualité d'excution de tout premier ordre'. Upon his death, the firm was taken over by his widow and son, Ursule-Marie-Philippine Bouvaist, known as 'Veuve Sormani'.