A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted marble cassolettes, circa 1785-1790,attributed to Pierre-

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A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted marble cassolettes, circa 1785-1790 - Image 1 of 8

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Auction Date:

15 Nov 2023 16:00 CET

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Paris, France

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A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted marble cassolettes, circa 1785-1790, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire with scrolling feet terminated by lions, with a circular stem ; (two horns missing, a loss to one horn) (2) Height. 17 3/4 in, width. 10 1/2 in, depth. 2 in ------------------------------------------------ Paire de cassolettes en bronze patiné, doré et marbre blanc d'époque Louis XVI vers 1785-1790, attribuées à Pierre-Philippe Thomire les pieds en enroulement à têtes de lion, le fût circulaire ; (manque deux cornes, un manque à une corne) (2) Haut. 45 cm, larg. 27 cm, prof. 21 cm Provenance Christie's Londres, Important European Furniture and Sculpture, 10 juillet 2008, lot 159. H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et. al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Vol. I, Munich, 1986, p.298, fig. 4. French Art of the Eighteenth Century at the Huntington, Huntington Library, 200818.6. Catalogue note Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), maître fondeur-ciseleur in 1772. These superb cassolettes were certainly executed by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, the most celebrated bronzier of the neoclassical period. The materials employed, the ambitious design and the unparalleled execution, all typify the celebrated bronzier's continued quest for innovative creations. THE THOMIRE ATTRIBUTION A watercolour dated 1785 attributed to Thomire's atelier and now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, illustrates a cassolette virtually identical to the pair here offered. These striking cassolettes are unquestionably related to the ormolu-enriched porphyry vase à l'étrusque attributed to Thomire and acquired by Madame du Barry from the celebrated marchands-merciers Daguerre and Lignereux in 1792, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. OA6620 and illustrated in D. Alcouffe et al., Gilt Bronzes in the Louvre, Dijon, 2004, pp.232-3). Further variations on the theme include a pair of grey and blue porcelain cassolettes shaped as athéniennes featuring similar female figures playing horns, formerly in Empress Eugénie's study in the Palais des Tuileries, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (OA5505 and ill. Op.Cit, p. 234-5) and a further pair with putti playing horns, formerly in the collections of Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, and now in the Huntington Museum. OBJETS MONTÉS FROM THE SÈVRES MANUFACTURE The Sèvres Manufacture first produced 'vases à monter' circa 1763, most probably at the behest of the marchand-galantier-parfumeur Jean Dulac (1704-1786), whose signature appears on the earliest known mounted Sèvres vase à monter and recorded in an inventory of Madame de Pompadour's collection drawn up upon her death in 1764 (L. Roth and C. Le Corbeiller, French Eighteenth-Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford 2000, p. 121). The gently elongated shape of the present pair of cassolettes can be related to the vase bouteille en écharpe created by the Sèvres Manufacture circa 1765-66 (M. Brunet and T. Préaud, Sèvres, Des origines à nos jours, Fribourg, 1978; Savill, pp. 270-276, nos. C279-281). Related vases bouteille enriched with gilt-bronze mounts include a porphyry vase illustrated in The Wrightsmann Collection, vol.III, Greenwich, CT, 1970, pp.70-74, pl. 306; a blue and white Sèvres porcelain vase dated circa 1765-70 (ill. in G. & R. Wannenes, Les Bronzes Ornementaux et les Objets Montés, Milan, 2004, p. 342). After Jean-Claude Thomas Duplessis's death in 1783, Thomire became responsible for designing and fitting ormolu mounts for objets à monter at the Sèvres Manufacture. Interestingly, the Sèvres Archives which refer in the mid-1780's to various cassolettes à monter include a drawing dated 20 April 1784 which incorporates a porcelain oval base inscribed Vase Casollette pour Etre Monté par M. Tomier (sic Thomire). Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), maître fondeur-ciseleur en 1772. Ces superbes cassolettes ont certainement été exécutées par Pierre-Philippe Thomire, le bronzier le plus célèbre de la période néoclassique. Les matériaux utilisés, la conception ambitieuse et l'exécution inégalée sont autant d'éléments qui illustrent la quête permanente du célèbre bronzier pour des créations novatrices. L'ATTRIBUTION À THOMIRE Une aquarelle datée de 1785, attribuée à l'atelier de Thomire et aujourd'hui conservée au Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, illustre une cassolette pratiquement identique à la paire proposée ici. Ces cassolettes remarquables sont incontestablement liées au vase à l'étrusque en porphyre enrichi de bronze doré attribué à Thomire et acquis par Madame du Barry auprès des célèbres marchands-merciers Daguerre et Lignereux en 1792, aujourd'hui conservé au Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. OA6620 et illustré dans D. Alcouffe et al, Gilt Bronzes in the Louvre, Dijon, 2004, pp.232-3). D'autres variations sur ce thème comprennent une paire de cassolettes en porcelaine grise et bleue en forme d'athéniennes représentant des figures féminines jouant des cornes, autrefois dans le bureau de l'impératrice Eugénie au Palais des Tuileries, aujourd'hui au Musée du Louvre, Paris (OA5505 et ill. Op.Cit, p. 234-5) et une autre paire avec des putti jouant des cornes, autrefois dans les collections du Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, et aujourd'hui au Huntington Museum. OBJETS MONTÉS DE LA MANUFACTURE DE SÈVRES La Manufacture de Sèvres a commencé à produire des "vases à monter" vers 1763, très probablement à la demande du marchand-galant-parfumeur Jean Dulac (1704-1786), dont la signature apparaît sur le plus ancien vase à

Auction Details

Sale Date(s)

15 Nov 2023 16:00 CET

Venue Address

76, rue du Faubourg

Saint-Honoré CS 10010

CEDEX 08

Paris

France

75384

France

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A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted marble cassolettes, circa 1785-1790, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire with scrolling feet terminated by lions, with a circular stem ; (two horns missing, a loss to one horn) (2) Height. 17 3/4 in, width. 10 1/2 in, depth. 2 in ------------------------------------------------ Paire de cassolettes en bronze patiné, doré et marbre blanc d'époque Louis XVI vers 1785-1790, attribuées à Pierre-Philippe Thomire les pieds en enroulement à têtes de lion, le fût circulaire ; (manque deux cornes, un manque à une corne) (2) Haut. 45 cm, larg. 27 cm, prof. 21 cm Provenance Christie's Londres, Important European Furniture and Sculpture, 10 juillet 2008, lot 159. H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et. al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Vol. I, Munich, 1986, p.298, fig. 4. French Art of the Eighteenth Century at the Huntington, Huntington Library, 200818.6. Catalogue note Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), maître fondeur-ciseleur in 1772. These superb cassolettes were certainly executed by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, the most celebrated bronzier of the neoclassical period. The materials employed, the ambitious design and the unparalleled execution, all typify the celebrated bronzier's continued quest for innovative creations. THE THOMIRE ATTRIBUTION A watercolour dated 1785 attributed to Thomire's atelier and now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, illustrates a cassolette virtually identical to the pair here offered. These striking cassolettes are unquestionably related to the ormolu-enriched porphyry vase à l'étrusque attributed to Thomire and acquired by Madame du Barry from the celebrated marchands-merciers Daguerre and Lignereux in 1792, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. OA6620 and illustrated in D. Alcouffe et al., Gilt Bronzes in the Louvre, Dijon, 2004, pp.232-3). Further variations on the theme include a pair of grey and blue porcelain cassolettes shaped as athéniennes featuring similar female figures playing horns, formerly in Empress Eugénie's study in the Palais des Tuileries, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (OA5505 and ill. Op.Cit, p. 234-5) and a further pair with putti playing horns, formerly in the collections of Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, and now in the Huntington Museum. OBJETS MONTÉS FROM THE SÈVRES MANUFACTURE The Sèvres Manufacture first produced 'vases à monter' circa 1763, most probably at the behest of the marchand-galantier-parfumeur Jean Dulac (1704-1786), whose signature appears on the earliest known mounted Sèvres vase à monter and recorded in an inventory of Madame de Pompadour's collection drawn up upon her death in 1764 (L. Roth and C. Le Corbeiller, French Eighteenth-Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford 2000, p. 121). The gently elongated shape of the present pair of cassolettes can be related to the vase bouteille en écharpe created by the Sèvres Manufacture circa 1765-66 (M. Brunet and T. Préaud, Sèvres, Des origines à nos jours, Fribourg, 1978; Savill, pp. 270-276, nos. C279-281). Related vases bouteille enriched with gilt-bronze mounts include a porphyry vase illustrated in The Wrightsmann Collection, vol.III, Greenwich, CT, 1970, pp.70-74, pl. 306; a blue and white Sèvres porcelain vase dated circa 1765-70 (ill. in G. & R. Wannenes, Les Bronzes Ornementaux et les Objets Montés, Milan, 2004, p. 342). After Jean-Claude Thomas Duplessis's death in 1783, Thomire became responsible for designing and fitting ormolu mounts for objets à monter at the Sèvres Manufacture. Interestingly, the Sèvres Archives which refer in the mid-1780's to various cassolettes à monter include a drawing dated 20 April 1784 which incorporates a porcelain oval base inscribed Vase Casollette pour Etre Monté par M. Tomier (sic Thomire). Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), maître fondeur-ciseleur en 1772. Ces superbes cassolettes ont certainement été exécutées par Pierre-Philippe Thomire, le bronzier le plus célèbre de la période néoclassique. Les matériaux utilisés, la conception ambitieuse et l'exécution inégalée sont autant d'éléments qui illustrent la quête permanente du célèbre bronzier pour des créations novatrices. L'ATTRIBUTION À THOMIRE Une aquarelle datée de 1785, attribuée à l'atelier de Thomire et aujourd'hui conservée au Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, illustre une cassolette pratiquement identique à la paire proposée ici. Ces cassolettes remarquables sont incontestablement liées au vase à l'étrusque en porphyre enrichi de bronze doré attribué à Thomire et acquis par Madame du Barry auprès des célèbres marchands-merciers Daguerre et Lignereux en 1792, aujourd'hui conservé au Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. OA6620 et illustré dans D. Alcouffe et al, Gilt Bronzes in the Louvre, Dijon, 2004, pp.232-3). D'autres variations sur ce thème comprennent une paire de cassolettes en porcelaine grise et bleue en forme d'athéniennes représentant des figures féminines jouant des cornes, autrefois dans le bureau de l'impératrice Eugénie au Palais des Tuileries, aujourd'hui au Musée du Louvre, Paris (OA5505 et ill. Op.Cit, p. 234-5) et une autre paire avec des putti jouant des cornes, autrefois dans les collections du Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, et aujourd'hui au Huntington Museum. OBJETS MONTÉS DE LA MANUFACTURE DE SÈVRES La Manufacture de Sèvres a commencé à produire des "vases à monter" vers 1763, très probablement à la demande du marchand-galant-parfumeur Jean Dulac (1704-1786), dont la signature apparaît sur le plus ancien vase à

Sale Date(s)

15 Nov 2023 16:00 CET

Venue Address

76, rue du Faubourg

Saint-Honoré CS 10010

CEDEX 08

Paris

France

75384

France

General delivery information available from the auctioneer

Sotheby’s Post Sale Service teams can arrange expert delivery and convenient shipping of your property. We offer exceptional service and competitive rates whether shipping a diamond bracelet or a large piece of furniture. Fully knowledgeable on all international regulations, Sotheby's will compile a full range of services for you, including collection, packing and arranging for shipping and transit insurance worldwide. For sales in London and New York, simply provide us with your delivery address when you register for a sale. Following your purchase, we will send you a competitive and comprehensive shipping quote. For property purchased in all other salerooms, contact that office directly to arrange for the transport of your purchases.

To learn more, or if we may be of assistance contact us.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/docs/pdf/2023-10-02-france-cob-for-buyers-en.pdf?locale=en

See Full Terms And Conditions