AN IMPOSING GLAZED BOOK CASE Paris, second half of the 18th century. In the style of Nicolas Sageot (1666-1731, maître 1706).

Ebonized wood and ebony, opulently inlaid in the style of Jean Bérain, with engraved brass in the form of leaves, scrolls and tendrils. Rectangular body, the upper half with two glazed double-doors. The door panels are inlaid with a central depiction of the Battle between Hercules and the Hydra. Straight sides, inlaid with brass fillets. Opulent gilt bronze mounts. Forged iron lock. Verso with a label inscribed: BEVE... "KORTE WALLE" (Beveren/Korte Walle). 1 key.
178 × 56 × 298 cm.

This object contains material of endangered species and is subject to certain trade restrictions. Prospective buyers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import it into another country.

Provenance:
- Art dealer, Paris.
- Sotheby's - London 1985, Lot No. 26 and Christie's New York, May 2006, Lot No. 155.
- Art dealer, Paris.
- Private collection, Suisse romande.

Bronze applications, in part later. Restored, the engravings, in part worn off.

The extraordinary and very representative vitrine book case on offer is comparable to works by Nicolas Sageot (1666-1731), active in Paris, who made numerous pieces of furniture with inlays in the style of André-Charles Boulle. In the last forty years, this piece of furniture has been on offer twice at auctions, i.e. in 1985, at Sotheby's in London with the description stating "Very fine Boulle Armoire, ca. 1700" and in May 2006, at Christie's New York, with an attribution to Nicolas Sageot. This attribution is made with reference to an article by Pierre Grand (Le Mobilier Boulle et les ateliers de l'époque. In: L'Estampille. L'objet d'art. No. 266, February 1993), which examined Sageot's work and also mentions the vitrine book case on offer.
A precise attribution of such furniture is difficult, as Grand also states. The work of André-Charles Boulle regained popularity in the second half of the 18th century. Important cabinet-makers, such as Etienne Levasseur (maître 1767), Philippe-Claude Montigny (maître 1777) as well as Jean-Louis Delorme (maître 1747) created furniture, which was stylistically oriented towards the Louis XIV and Régence eras, and resumed the tradition of inlay work in tortoiseshell and brass. Based on the design, the brass inlays as well as the applied bronze ornaments, we suggest that the cabinet on offer dates from the second half of the 18th century.

An interesting clue to the provenance can be derived from the label on the back, which refers to the place Beveren, west of Antwerp, and the castle "Cortewalle" (formerly Korte Walle). It is possible that the glazed book case was part of the collection of the Brouchoven de Bergeyck family who inhabited the castle, the inventory of which was publicly auctioned off in 1961.