Wednesday, June 8, 2016

ANTON VENOIR INTERIORS: FRENCH ANTIQUES MELBOURNE.

AN 18TH CENTURY LOUIS XV ORMOLU MOUNTED KINGWOOD & BOIS DE ROSE COMMODE, BY F.F, JEAN LOUIS FAIZELOT DELORME. CIRCA 1743-1750.







An 18th century Louis XV Ormolu Mounted Kingwood and Bois De Rose, Commode, by Francoise Faizelot, Jean Louis Faizelot Delorme.
CIRCA. 1743 - 1750
The shaped Plateau rouge royal marble top with rounded corners and molded edge above Le cotes galbes facede of, two shaped single draws, with centered secret draw, above a convex long and a further long draw flanked by pierced leaf foliate-cast handles, the angles mounted with pierced foliate espagnolettes and foliate-wrapped bronze ornaments, the whole decorated in Kingwood cross-band marquetry with bois de Rose marquetry borders, centred by a pierced foliate rocaille cartouche, on short conformingly-mounted splayed feet.
Louis XV period, Circa 1743 - 1750. Stamped F.F DELORME, JME. (jurande des menuisiers-ébénistes) 
Francois Faizelot Delorme (1691-1768) Maître avant 1735
Jean Louis Faizelot Delorme,  Maître 1763
 
H. 87 cm, L. 130 cm, D. 61 cm.









 Faizelot Delorme 
(b Paris, c. 1715-20; d after 1783). French cabinetmakers and dealers. Were on of  the most famous familes of cabinetmakers;  father, Francois Faizelot Delorme (1691-1768), and  brothers Jean-Louis Faizelot Delorme, Alexis Faizelot Delorme and Adrien Delorme were all maitres-ebenistes. Adrien became a maitre-ebeniste on 22 June 1748 and was a juror of his guild from 1768 to 1770.  Jean Louis Faizelot Delorme became maitre ebeniste in 1763. They made and sold luxury furniture throughout the 18th century in the Regence and Louis XV style, decorated with japanning either in imitation of Chinese lacquer (e.g. Amsterdam, Rijksmus.) or with European decoration (e.g. Waddesdon Manor, Bucks, NT). He also carried out sumptuous floral marquetry (e.g. Paris, Petit Pal.). His most distinguished work consisted of small pieces of furniture (e.g. Paris, Louvre; London, V&A; Washington, DC, Hillwood Mus.) embellished with floral marquetry or inlays of scrolls and foliation executed in end-grain wood on a dark-veined, light-wood ground forming a chevron pattern (e.g. Lyon, Mus. B.-A.).
 
Louis XV Commode tombeau en bois de placage, 
XVIIIe siècle elle ouvre par cinq tiroirs sur trois rangs à traverse apparente, les montants galbés, la ceinture à cul de lampe, les pieds galbés. 
Ornements de bronze à décor rocaille tels entrées de serrure, poignées, chutes à espagnolette, cul de lampe et sabots. Plateau de marbre rouge royal. 
époque Louis XV. Estampille de Jean Louis Faizelot Delorme Maître en 1763 H. 87 cm, L. 130 cm, Pr. 61 cm.




JME Stamp
On August 20, 1751 the French parliament voted for the constitution of the Jurande.
An additional stamp, JME (for jurande des menuisiers-ébénistes (translation Cabinet Makers & Carpenters)) would be added once a committee, made up of elected guild members who inspected the workshops four times a year, had approved the quality. Any furniture that failed to meet the required standards of craftsmanship was confiscated. 

The Corporation des Menuisiers was divided into two distinct trades, that of the woodworkers who made paneling (boiserie) for buildings and coaches, and that of the actual furniture makers. The latter can be subdivided intomenuisiers (joiners), responsible for the making of solid wood furniture such as console tables, beds, and chairs, and the ébénistes, from the word ébéne (ebony), makers of veneered case pieces.
The stamp was associated with the guild system that existed at that time. The elaboration of a piece of furniture was a complex process since it involved the collaboration of several artisans, each of which belonged to his own guild, all governed by very strict rules. The executor, who was often the creator, was an ebeniste. The other artisans worked under his supervision, like the sculptor, the engraver, the caster, the gilder, the metal worker, etc.. The cabinet makers’ guild had well defined statutes. The training was the same for everyone. Aspiring master cabinet makers began as apprentices in a workshop where they would stay for several years until they presented their best piece to the “Jurande”. The “Jurande” was a very powerful organ within the guild whose role was to evaluate the candidates to master cabinet makers, as well as the quality of their work. The approved works were stamped with the letters JME (Jurande des Menusiers Ebenistes), a jury of cabinet makers. After 1743 the stamp became obligatory, a rule that was strictly followed in Paris until 1790, when guilds were abolished. 
This corporative system fuelled a real “politics of marriages” so that workshops would remain in the family, and resulted in the rise of artisan “dynasties”

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

ANTON VENOIR INTERIORS: FRENCH ANTIQUES, MELBOURNE:


A LOUIS XV PERIOD, COTES GALBEE EN PLACAGE DE KINGWOOD, SATINÉ ROSEWOOD, GILT BRONZE-MOUNTED COMMODE. CIRCA. 1750


A LOUIS XV PERIOD, COTES GALBEE en PALACAGE de KINGWOOD, BOIS SATINÉ & ROSEWOOD GILT BRONZE-MOUNTED COMMODE. CIRCA. 1750.



Le cotes galbes facede, bois satiné, Kingwood & rosewood marquetry and marble topped commode. A shaped Bec de Corbin marble top, with rounded corners and moulded edge, above two shaped single draws, with centred secret draw, above a convex long and a further long draw flanked by pierced leaf  foliate-cast handles, the angles with roccoco clasps, above a shaped apron centred by a pierced foliate cartouche, on short conformingly-mounted splayed feet.
The whole decorated with banded veneers of bois satiné and Kingwood and rosewood with crisp foliate scroll gilt bronze mounts and handels.

H. 87 cm, L. 130 cm, D. 61 cm 









Monday, March 14, 2016

The Best Seat In The House:

AN 18TH CENTURY LOUIS XV PERIOD SALON A LA REINE BY JEAN-BAPTISTE GOURDIN. CIRCA 1740-1745.



AN 18TH CENTURY LOUIS XV PERIOD SALON A LA REINE BY JEAN-BAPTISTE GOURDIN. CIRCA 1740-1745.
 
Each Fauteuil and the canape with ribbon-carved frame, padded cartouche-shaped back, scrolling arms and shaped seat covered in a 'Aprile' silk lampas fabric from Maison Colony, Over a moulded serpentine seat-rail centrally carved with flower-heads and leafy sprays, on cabriole legs headed by twin flowerheads and pendant leaves, stamped J.B GOURDIN. Louis XV period.
 
Jean-Baptiste GOURDIN, Maître en 1747.
 
Fauteuils: H: 92 cm, L: 67 cm, P: 56 cm.
Canape: H: 103 cm, L: 160 cm, P: 60 cm.



GOURDIN:
 
An XVIIIth century illustrious family of carpenters, the Gourdin have marked the history of seats, from the Régence to Louis XVI. There was three of them: John, the father , Jean- Baptiste , the eldest son and Michel, his brother, the Gourdin family has always been synonymous with quality. Their seats tell the story of the eighteenth century styles. At the head of three separate workshops, Gourdin had a prestigious clientele and realized the most important commands of the time.
Exceptional dynasty:
Jean Gourdin (c. 1690-1764):



Patriarch of the dynasty, Jean Gourdin was born around 1690, probably in Paris. After gaining his master's in 1714, he married Marie-Madeleine Collet, herself from a family of carpenters. By this time, Jean Gourdin opened a shop in the Clery street, in the neighborhood of Bonne-Nouvelle, and hired companions and workers. In 1732 he inherited the shop from his father-in law, Jean Collet, which allowed him to develop his workshop and permanently associate his name at 36 rue de Clery. Then he bought the second part of the store to his wife's family in 1743.
He had four children, two girls. Marie-Anne, the eldest, born in 1719 and married in 1745 with Jean Avisse, renowned carpenter and son of Louis Avisse, the king gardener at Versailles. Marie Anne and Jean Avisse had six children, one son, Claude, who became carpenter in the Faubourg Saint -Honoré. Marie-Madeleine, the youngest of the family, was born in 1741 and married in 1761 Jean- Charles Allard, master upholsterer and dealer in Rue Dauphine.

Jean Baptiste Gourdin (v.1723 - 1781) :
Jean-Baptiste was born around 1723. From 1736 to 1741, unlike the craftsmen of the eighteenth century, he did not performed his apprenticeship with a master carpenter, but with a master sculptor named Toussaint Foliot. Thereafter, he returned to work in his father's workshop from 1741 to 1746. Before completing his training, he was admitted into the community of carpenters in 1747, due to his apprenticeship in his father’s workshop as well as its experience with Toussaint Foliot. He married in 1746 Marie- Françoise Ferret, daughter of master carpenter Claude Ferret. Soon, Jean-Baptiste inherited his father’s in law shop, also located rue de Clery. He opened his own workshop and hired apprentices, before buying the whole house in 1761. He had a daughter, Marie- Françoise Sophie. He ceased its activity in 1776 and died in 1781.

Michel Gourdin (v.1724 - 1797) :
Michel was born around 1724 and became a master in 1752. He married Marie- Anne Masson in 1757 and had no children. He lived too Rue de Clery .




Three independent workshops :
Each member of the Gourdin family was at the head of his own studio  and none of the three son took over the father’s shop. However, their family relationships were the basis of the professional network of each of them.
Moreover, it should be noted that Jean -Baptiste considerably developed the workshop of his father- in law, Claude Ferret, inventory indicating no less than 16 benches. In 1771, its stock of wood was as important as a huge workshop such as Tilliard. Jean- Baptiste Gourdin realized indeed many orders throughout his career.

The Stamps :
Jean used two stamps. The first, the initials " IG " was used before a new rule issued in 1743 ( but lasted on some models) . The second , " FATHER GOURDIN " appeared from 1748.
- Jean- Baptiste used the stamp " I.GOURDIN ."
- Michel , used the stamp "M.GOURDIN ."

Major clients:

Jean Gourdin received large orders from individuals, but also participated in prestigious projects. Amoung them, an order for the house of the Duchess of Mazarin (rue de Varennes) and the Château d’Asnières, which was  purchased in 1750 by the Marquis de Voyer , great military and Marshal of the king Armies, in charge of Her Majesty stud farm. Castles Montgeoffroy (Anjou ) , Thoiry (Yvelines) and Conde ( Brie ) , also have many pieces of Jean Gourdin .
Jean- Baptiste worked for a more eclectic clientele than his father , including many financial customers in Europe . He worked for prestigious clients such as the Marquis de Bellevaux, Claude II Bonnay and very regularly for the Prince de Soubise , Duc de Rohan. But his most famous client was the Dauphine Marie- Antoinette during its move to the court.
Michel Gourdin , meanwhile , worked for Marie -Josephe de Saxe , mother of the future Louis XVI . He also made furniture for Maréchal de Contades , the Duchess de Charost and the Marquis de Poyanne .