A Louis XVI style gilt-bronze-mounted mahogany, amaranth and marquetry commode,...

of shaped breakfront form, the shaped and moulded marble top above a gilt-bronze entrelac frieze with a singe drawer, the body with two sans traverse drawers centred by a still-life marquetry panel on a diamond ground and flanked by two parquetry panels, on gilt-bronze scroll feet, two feet stamped FB, with a trade label to the frieze drawer reading Fernand BLONDEAU / MEUBLES D'ART / 77, Avenue Ledru-Rollin, PARIS

97cm high, 169cm wide, 60cm deep; 97ft. 2 ⅛in., 5ft. 6 ½in., 1ft. 11 ⅝in.

Condition Report:
A smart rendering of a classic Louis XVI piece, in overall good conserved condition and ready to place.
The marble top in good condition, with minor scratches to the upper side and three lengths of later filling or reinforcement to the underside.
The polished surface with some minor scratches due to age and use, for example around the handles and to the upper edge of the drawers. One support to the underside apparently replaced, and a small veneer replacement next to the lock on the top edge of the top drawer.
With three keys, one for the top frieze drawer and two that fit either of the main drawers.

Catalogue Note:
This commode is modelled after an example by Jean-Henri Riesener at Waddesdon Manor (inv. nr. W2/37/5, illustrated G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Furniture and Gilt Bronzes, 1974, Vol. 1, pp.239-246, no.53). The latter was delivered in 1776 to the Comtesse de Provence at the Château de Versailles for an amount of 7,400 livres. The French royal court was evidently delighted by the piece as a further commode of this type was commissioned in 1778 for the cabinet de retraite of Louis XVI now at Versailles (inv. nr. V5885, acquired from Christie's, London, 8th July 1999, lot 201). The breakfront façade and the trapezoid central panel, featuring a luxurious still life in marquetry, are characteristics of Riesener's work.

At the end of the 19th century, many replicas of Riesener's furniture pieces were made by top cabinet-makers such as Linke, Sormani and Dasson.

77 avenue Ledru-Rollin, Paris

At 77 avenue Ledru-Rollin in Paris was established between 1891 and 1929 "Le patronage industriel des Enfants de l'Ebenisterie". It was an organization founded by the ébéniste Henry Lemoine in 1866 to assist, educate, and moralize young apprentices in the French furniture industry (ébénisterie, menuiserie, marqueteur, ...). With a yearly subscription of 12 francs, the apprentices had access to free classes daily from 8 to 10pm (except Saturdays), and to the yearly famous contest. The ébénisterie contest was dedicated to students under 21 years old, and was divided in six categories and only members of the same skill and at the same level could compete against each other. Apprentices from first years were given one day to complete the task. Second years were given two days, etc. and finally sixth years were given six days to complete the task. Only the winner in each category was permitted to full assemble and complete his furniture piece. As otherwise the price to complete each student's piece in the contest would have been to high; the school needing to provide and pay for all the materials including the veneers. The school is still in existence today, known better as Chambre d'Apprentissage des Industries de l'Ameublement.

The presence of this label on this commode would suggest Fernand Blondeau was an apprentice in ébénisterie at the school. Little is known about him, and this label is only recorded on a few furniture pieces, from a Louis XVI chiffonier to an Art Deco server both on the market. In the 1912 catalogue of the 'Première exposition internationale des arts du travail', Fernand Blondeau is listed as an exhibitor and described as the successor of L. Poujol.

Provenance:
Sotheby's Monaco, 21st June 1992, lot 1162