A Louis XV ormolu mounted bois de bout marquetry commode

Tulipwood, satinwood and amaranth. Oak frame. Chased and gilded bronze. Breche d'Alep marble top.
Paris circa 1750

A fine commode, known as "commode à la régence". The molded breche d'Alep marble top above two bombé drawers inlaid sans traverse with bois de bout floral marquetry sprays surrounding a central cartouche bordered with elaborate scrolling foliate decoration and pierced handles, the angles headed by rococo scrolling foliate clasps continuing to foliate-cast sabots, the side inlaid with conforming marquetry panels.

Our chest of drawers shares many similarities with a series of floral marquetry chests of drawers stamped Pierre Roussel and decorated with elaborate rocaille bronzes, like the chest of drawers from the former collection of the Duchesse de Levis Mirepoix, then from the Huntigton Collection in San Marino, California, which was sold at Christie's New York as part of the Alexander Collection on 30 April 1999, lot 180.

By 1745 in Paris, the bois de bout marquetry decorations, such as the one on our chest of drawers, enjoyed great success, initiated by the work of Bernard II Vanrisamburg (1700-1760) under the aegis of the marchands merciers Thomas Joachim Hebert (1687-1773) and Henri Lebrun. As for the vigorous scrolling foliate C-scroll and rocaille ormolu frame laid upon an amaranth shadow, it is entirely similar to those of Mathieu Criaerd. The bronze decoration on our chest of drawers also includes the falls at the corners, chased with asymmetrical rocaille decoration, four remarkably designed openwork sabots, and the astragals that underline and protect the edges of this precious piece of furniture.