Important French silver-plated gueridon, François Levrat, Paris, circa 1820

the triangular serpentine base supported by three paw feet with wheels and topped with three leafy rosettes, the barrel adorned with large acanthus leaves, the base decorated with a frieze of palmettes alternating with laurel leaves between two friezes of palmettes and water leaves on matted ground, the top chiselled with a frieze of channels stamped with flowers, the circular tray with ovolo border alternated with arrows and a pearls border

Related literature:
P-N. Beauvallet, Fragmens d'architecture, sculpture et peinture, dans le style antique, Paris, 1804-1820 ; 
F. Bradbury, History of old Sheffield plate, Sheffield, 1912 (reed. 1983), pp. 170-171;
D. Alcouffe (dir.), Un âge d'or des arts décoratifs 1814-1848, cat. exp. Grand-Palais, Paris, 1991, pp. 79 et 140;
Antoine Maës, « L'ameublement du salon d'Apollon, XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle », dans Bulletin du Centre de recherche du château de Versailles, 2013 (http://crcv.revues.org/12144 ; DOI : 10.4000/crcv.12144).

In overall good condition. The three paw feet with bumps and dents comensurate with age. The silver-plating slightly worn, mainly on the beads border. The top with three lakcs of silver-plating(two medium ones and a larger one). Usual scratches, mainly at the topcomensurate with age. One paw foot with tears. Unique piece, with only one similar pair, but unmarked, is known. Highlt decorative gueridon with an impressive size. Fully marked at several places.
"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."

This spectacular guéridon is in the tradition of the sumptuous production of silver furniture which was successively made and melted according to the financial needs of European courts during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 1660s, Colbert commissioned Charles Le Brun to supervise the conception of silver furniture for Louis XIV. In 1682, when Versailles became the official residence of the monarchy, the so called "Grande argenterie" was gathered in the king's official apartment, emphasizing the power, wealth and influence of the monarch. In 1689, when the finance of the State was squandered by endless wars, all the silver furniture was melted. As a substitute to the costly use of silver, cabinetmakers develop white gold gilding techniques that imitate the glow of the precious metal. In 1805, when the Marshal of Empire Joachim Murat acquired the current Elysée Palace, his wife, Caroline Bonaparte, commissioned Jacob-Desmalter  for the making of an extensive suite of white gold gilt pieces of furniture, known as Salon d’Argent.

In 1743, the Sheffield craftsman Thomas Boulsover (1706-1788) was the inventor of a technique of plating copper as he discovered that silver and copper could be fused together and then be rolled together or die-stamped as one. Others after Boulsover improved his technique and an entire industry was established in Sheffield. It flourished unchallenged in the metal plating trades until the invention of electroplate process by George Richards Elkington and his cousin, Henry, of Birmingham in the late 1830s. This process dramatically reduced the cost of production and made it possible to manufacture larger pieces. Levrat was one of the first goldsmiths in France to produce metal items plated with silver, gold and platinum, which quality equalled that of Sheffield. In 1819, the excellence of his works was greeted by Louis XVIII, who awarded him a silver medal as a reward for the "crowned efforts of a complete success by means of which this distinguished manufacturer managed to snatch this branch of industry from the English, bringing it to the highest degree of perfection. " (Journal de Lyon et du Département du Rhône, 8^th November, 1819, No. 37).

In 1809, François Levrat is recorded to be in a partnership with Charpentier. In 1810, he joined Papinaud and settled rue de Popincourt, 66, in Paris. In 1811, they won the Grand Prix (1,500 francs) awarded by the society of encouragement for the French industry for a silver-plate campaign kitchen. Levrat won the silver medal for plated items during the 1819 Industrial Products Exhibition and again in 1823. He then set up a warehouse in Lyon, Place de l'Herbier, with Mr Parrayon, tradesman in ‘novelties’. The local press enhanced Levrat’s prestigious production "which is hallmarked and controlled, is perfectly safe and is noticed on dining tables in the most important Parisian House’ ( Journal de Lyon et du Département du Rhône, ibidem). Before 1815, Levrat ‘s production is mainly copper pieces plated with 2.5 per cent of silver ; his maker’s mark bears his initials only. After 1815, he tends to produce copper pieces plated with  5 per cent of silver and change his maker’s mark for his full name. For extraordinary commissions, Levrat used even higher proportion of silver, such as for our gueridon which is plated with 20 per cent of silver. François Levrat is still recorded in the Almanach du Commerce in 1825 but in 1827, the business is taken over by Louis Levrat – probably his son – in partnership with Theodore Parquin, who had previously specialised in silver plate bath tubs.

The antique references on our guéridon match with the taste for classical models reinterpreted during the 1^st Empire - orchestrated by Charles Percier - and still in great favour under the reign of Louis XVIII. The richly decorated barrel of our guéridon is similar to an ornamental design in an engraving after the sculptor Pierre-Nicolas Beauvallet, in the ninth volume of Fragmens of architecture, sculpture and painting in the ancient style, published in 1806 (see ill.) . Its triangular plinth ending with three paw feet and the massive base of the barrel with acanthus leaves are also apparent on a guéridon made in 1813 by Pierre-Benoît Marcion (Versailles Castle, inv. No. T377C). The abundant decoration of the barrel also reminds some of Pierre-Philippe Thomire's works, and more precisely his candelabra made for the Tuileries Castle, circa 1822. Finally, its imposing size could also remind George IV furniture. Indeed, an influence from across the Channel on Levrat's production is consistent with his perfect knowledge of Sheffield models. 

Only very few examples of early 19^th century French silver plate pieces furniture are recorded today and only one pair of guéridons, almost identical to ours, unmarked but most likely French, is known and was sold Christie's, New York on 28^th April 2017, Lot 13.

We are most thankful to Mr. Xavier Betoux for his precious assistance for cataloguing this lot.