A LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED STAINED PEARWOOD AND PARQUETRY TABLE A ECRIRE
BY ROGER VANDERCRUSE, CALLED LACROIX, CIRCA 1770

Details
A LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED STAINED PEARWOOD AND PARQUETRY TABLE A ECRIRE BY ROGER VANDERCRUSE, CALLED LACROIX, CIRCA 1770 Decorated overall with flower-filled trellis, the oval top with a pierced gallery over a fitted drawer, on cabriole legs joined by an oval undertier and terminating in scrolling sabots, stamped 'RVLC JME' twice 29 ¾ in. (76 cm.) high, 19 ¼ in. (49 cm.) wide, 14 ¼ in. (36.5 cm.) deep

Provenance
With Ruth Costantino, The Connoisseur, New York. Acquired by Annie Laurie Aitken (1900-1984) and Russell Barnett Aitken (1910-2002) from the above, 19 March 1968.

Lot Essay
Roger Vandercruse, known as Lacroix, maître in 1755. Although achieving his maîtrise at a relatively early date, RVLC, who was related by marriage both to Jean-François Oeben and to Jean-Henri Riesener, is best known for his elegant products in the Transitional style of the 1760s and 1770s. He worked in the early years of his career both with Oeben and Gilles Joubert, often on commissions for the Garde Meuble Royal, and also cooperated extensively with the marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier. He perfected the type of useful elegant occasional table typified by the example offered here, perhaps as a result of his frequent collaborations with Poirier. The distinctive parquetry on this table, with a trellis of contrasting woods enclosing flowerheads, is a particular recurring motif in his creations. A number of examples of this model are known, with minor variants, including: - one in the British Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, purchased by George IV in 1829 (RCIN 39221) - one at Waddesdon Manor (see G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Furniture, Clocks and Gilt Bronzes, London, 1974, vol. II, cat. 98) - one formerly in the collection of Mrs. Henry Walters (see C. Packer, Paris Furniture by the Master Ebénistes, Newport, 1956, fig. 120) - a near pair sold from the Riahi Collection, Christie’s, London, 6 December 2012, lot 26 - one with the unusual feature of spring-loaded drawers to the side, sold from the collection of André Meyer, Christie's, New York, 26 October 2001, lot 40 - one from the Keck Collection, La Lanterne, Bel Air, sold Sotheby's, New York, 5-6 December 1991, lot 258 - one sold from a European collection, Sotheby's, Paris, 14 June 2006, lot 138 - one sold Segoura, Christie’s, New York, 19 October 2006, lot 130