A Régence style gilt-bronze mounted tulipwood commode in the manner of Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt, probably English, mid-19th century

the serpentine front and sides and veined pink-grey marble top, fitted with three drawers, veneered with double panels à quatre faces, in matted gilt-bronze frame with scallopshell spandrels and fluted handles depending from scrolls, the central cartouche-shaped lockplates cast with similar motifs, the sides mounted with plaques of maidens emblematic of Astronomy seated on strapwork scrolls, the rear uprights headed by palmettes, the chamfered projecting angles mounted with ormolu uprights headed by ram’s heads and ending in curling leaves developing to scrolled bifurcated feet

An Aristocratic Private Collection; until sold Christie’s London, 14 May 1970, lot 129 (as 18th century)

Related Literature: F. B. J. Watson, Catalogue, London, 1956, nos. F411-412;

A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, London, 1989, fig. 32; 

In overall very good condition, with very minor marks and scratches consistent with age and use, very minor lifting and losses to veneers. Mounts in good original condition. Minor repairs to inside of drawers, to facilitate use.
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This exquisite commode well exemplifies the taste for 18^th century French decorative arts in mid-19^th century Europe and England, at a time when collectors such as the Rothschilds and the Hertfords were not only buying important pieces by the best Parisian ébénistes, but also commissioning copies and replicas of talented cabinet-makers. Thus, the fine corner mounts with ram’s heads and bifurcated feet on the present piece are after a well-known and rare design by Gilles-Marie Oppenordt (1672-1742), Alexandre's son, as found on the frontispiece of book ten of his Oeuvres, engraved by Huguier. Furthermore, they appear on a chimneypiece executed for the Palais of the Duc d’Orléans, and on a design for a lectern at the Abbaye-Sainte-Geneviève, Paris. However, other mounts such as the apron and side mounts are from the repertoire of André-Charles Boulle.

A number of early 18^th century commodes with identical mounts attributed to Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt (1639-1715), in première and contre-partie partie, are known, including one from the collection of Sybil, Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley, sold Christie’s London, 8-9 December 1994, lot 545. Furthermore, the same ram’s masks and handles are found on another ‘Boulle’ marquetry commode sold Sotheby’s Paris, 23 March 2006, lot 63 (415,200 EUR). Finally, for an identical tulipwood commode, see Koller, Zurich, 19 September 2013, lot 1079.