A gilt-bronze-mounted tulipwood, amaranth, parquetry and marquetry commode stamped J. Dautriche JME, Louis XV/XVI Transitional, circa 1770

of gentle breakfront form with a moulded Brèche d'Alep marble top above three frieze drawers mounted with diapers enclosing flowerheads and acanthus sprays, above two long drawers with three panels of diapers enclosing flowerheads within gilt-bronze foliate banding the shaped apron with a neo-classical flaming urn flanked by oak leaves and acorns above a lion mask, the sides similarly panelled and inlaid to the front, the curved angles mounted with a scrolled corbel suspended with oak leaf swags, piastras and oak leaves, on cabriole legs terminating in paw feet, the underside of the top with the ink inscribed numbers 10936 twice

In overall very good conserved condition. Some miniscule chips to the marble top along the rear edge.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present commode belongs to a group referred to as "commodes à la grecque" popularized by Jean François Oeben (maître 1761). The Dutch-born cabinet-maker Jacques Dautriche (d.1778) also produced a number of commodes of identical outline, in some cases, identically veneered and with identical gilt-bronze mounts to Oeben pieces. This particular commode differs from the majority of his commodes for being of slightly smaller size and for having an upper drawer with lozenge frieze mounts instead of the usual guilloche or Vitruvian scroll mounts, mirroring the trellis parquetry with flowerheads on the lower panelled sections. The corner mounts are also a smaller version of the guilloche mount often used by Dautriche.

A related commode by Dautriche, formerly in the Rothschild collections at Schloss Schillersdorf, has similar marquetry and sabots (sold Christie’s New York, 26th October 2001, lot 290).

Dautriche enjoyed a reputation as a first-class marqueteur and it has been suggested that the striking similarity between his work and that of the renowned Jean François Oeben might indicate that Dautriche (who was an independent journeyman until Oeben's death) worked for him. (A. Pradère, Les ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la révolution, Tours, 1989, p. 269). As an ouvrier libre, and particularly if he had been executing commissions for Oeben, Dautriche would not have stamped his production, which would account for the commodes of this type which have no maker's stamp. Dautriche received his maîtrise in 1765 only two years after Oeben's death in 1763 when commodes of this type were at the peak of their popularity and there is no reason to suppose that Dautriche would not have continued producing this popular model on which, after 1765, he placed his stamp.