A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED AMARANTH BUREAU EN COMMODE

ATTRIBUTED TO NOEL GERARD, CIRCA 1725

Details

A REGENCE ORMOLU-MOUNTED AMARANTH BUREAU EN COMMODE
ATTRIBUTED TO NOEL GERARD, CIRCA 1725
Veneered overall with panels à quatre faces, within gilt borders to the slope and sides, the hinged slope lined with leather to the reverse and enclosing a fitted interior of nine drawers including one fitted for writing implements, four pigeon-holes and a covered well enclosing two further drawers, above a slightly bombé front with a false drawer centred by a later satyr mask between confronting C-scrolls issuing dragon's heads, above a pair of doors decorated with simulated panelled drawer fronts, all with elaborate double scrolling and acanthus cast handles, enclosing a removable coffre-fort and four drawers, with steel hinges and locks, between rounded angles within foliate borders headed by cartouche and scroll capitals, on bracket feet, the apron and feet mounted with a satyr mask between C-scrolls and foliage, three foot mounts later, the sides centred by cavorting Bacchic putti and with carrying-handles
38 ¼ in. (97 cm.) high; 49 5/8 in. (126 cm.) wide; 22 in. (56 cm.) deep, approx., closed

Provenance

Vicomte Henri de Saporta (1890-1984), from whom acquired in the early 1980s by the present owner.

Lot Essay

Noël Gérard, active 1690-1736.

This striking bureau en commode of singular design, richly embellished with ormolu mounts can be attributed to the marchand-ébéniste Noël Gérard.

Two further commodes with identical handles to those on the present commode attributed to Gérard have recently been offered at auction. The first, a two drawer commode sold Christie’s, Monaco, 1 July 1995, lot 198 and was sold subsequently with Thierry de Maigret, Drouot, Paris, 21 June 2019, lot 282. The second was offered for sale Christie’s, London 21 September 2022, lot 16.

Gérard was the half-brother of the ébéniste Jacques Dubois, a commode of related design to the present lot attributed to Gérard but bearing the stamp of Dubois was sold Christie’s, Paris 6 November 2015, lot 703. It is likely that Dubois added his stamp to the commode after carrying out restoration.

Gérard was apprenticed to Francois Clabaux in 1701 and by 1719 he was established in the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. His business prospered and he soon moved to the hôtel of the financier Janach on the rue Saint-Martin. Apart from his activities as an ébéniste, in 1726 he was appointed a marchand-mercier and his clients included the ex-King of Poland Stanislas Leczczynski, the comte de Clermont as well as the ambassador of Spain and the Marquis de Castellas.
The inventory drawn up at the time of his death in 1736 revealed the extent of his business, recording seven work benches, a large stock of exotic woods, gilt-bronze mouldings and more than one hundred and fifty pieces of furniture.