Sale
7745
important european furniture, sculpture & clocks
9 July 2009
London, King Street
A LOUIS XIV ORMOLU-MOUNTED BRASS-INLAID EBONISED BOOKCASE
CIRCA 1710
With arched top inlaid with foliage and scrolls, above two doors with upper glazed panels, the lower panels inlaid with geometrical patterns and centred by draped female figures symbolizing Astronomy, the sides inlaid conformingly with three geometrical patterns, on a plinth inlaid with scrolling foliage and centred by a bearded Bacchus mask
95 in. (242 cm.) high; 53 in. (135 cm.) wide; 16 in. (42 cm.) deep
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
This impressive armoire closely relates to the oeuvre of the cabinet maker Nicolas Sageot (1666-1731), discussed by Pierre Grand in 'Le Mobilier Boulle et les ateliers de l'époque', L'Estampille/L'Objet d'Art, February, 1993, p. 48-70. The present lot relates to some of the rare pieces stamped 'NS' (for Nicolas Sageot), including a pair of armoires sold at Christie's, London, 17 June 1987, lot 65; and another pair, sold at Tajan, Paris, 3 April 1996, lot 95.
Although Sageot's production is scantily documented, it is known that on 26 July 1720 he sold 16,000 livres worth of furniture to the marchand-mercier Léonard Prieur, amongst which were several 'armoires dôme', valued between 400 and 1000 livres.