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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A very beautiful Louis XV gilt bronze mounted marquetry bois de rose, amaranth, bois de violette and stained wood commode by Jean-Charles Ellaume, stamped J. C. ELLAUME, the serpentine shaped moulded brèche marron marble top above two drawers each with a shield-shaped escutcheon and C-scrolled rocaille handles, the bombé front decorated with central ribbon-tied quivers above musical trophies amid foliage within a geometric frame à la Grec, flanked either side by similar frames each enclosing an urn on a pedestal flanked by a pair of trees, the sides decorated with elaborate floral bouquets enclosed by conforming geometric frames, the shaped apron centred by an antique vase and foliate gilt bronze mount, the cabriole angles with C-scroll and rocaille mounts continuing down the cabriole legs terminating in acanthus foliate sabots Paris, date circa 1755-60 Height 87.5 cm, width 129 cm, width 61.5 cm. Although the dates of his birth and death are unrecorded it is known that Jean-Charles Ellaume was received as a maître-ébéniste in 1754 and worked for more than 30 years from his Parisian workshop at rue Traversière. Ellaume specialised in the production of high quality commodes but also made other pieces such as secrétaires and bureaux plats. His work was of the finest quality, ornamented with intricate veneers and superb gilt bronze mounts. The style of his commodes followed various forms from the curving shapes of the Régence and Louis XV styles to the more formal Transition and Louis XVI styles. Among them is a Régence three-drawer rosewood commode tombeau by him, housed in the Musée de Lambinet at Versailles. The exceptionally high quality of the present commode places it among a select group of Louis XV pieces by Ellaume featuring equally beautiful veneered decoration. Other comparable pieces by him from this period, included a small number of marquetry commodes, bureaux plats and encoignures in bois de rose and stained woods featuring flowers, branches and musical trophies within decorative framed borders. Pierre Kjellberg suggested in his definitive publication, “Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe Siècle”, 1998, p. 295, that these superior quality pieces were most probably specifically made to order. He surmised that they were either commissioned by one of the marchands or were made for one of the other leading Parisian ébénistes. To this effect Kjellberg cited a bureau plat, bearing the double stamp of Ellaume and Boudin (Léonard Boudin, 1735-1807, maître 1761) as well as a bombé secrétaire stamped Ellaume and Tuart (Jean-Baptiste I Tuart maître 1741). In addition Ellaume is known to have supplied the ébéniste Adrien Fleury (1721-74) and Jean-Baptiste Fromageau (maître 1755). |