A VERY IMPORTANT PAIR OF GILT-BRONZE MOUNTED EBONY, BOULLE TORTOISESHELL AND BRASS "EN PREMIÈRE PARTIE ET CONTRE-PARTIE" MARQUETRY BOOKCASES, LOUIS XIV, CIRCA 1710-1720, STAMPED NICOLAS SAGEOT AND NS |

one in "première partie" marquetry, the other in "contrepartie" marquetry, each opening with two doors; (the gilt-bronze mounts added around the mid 19th century)

Adela Ocampo de Heimendahl, Paris & Buenos Aires (acquired from the artist)Madeleine Ocampo de Casares-Lumb, Buenos Aires (by descent from the above)

Alberto Casares Ocampo, Buenos Aires (by descent from the above)

Thence by descent

Related literature: P. Grand, "Le mobilier Boulle et les ateliers de l'époque", L'Estampille / L'Objet d'art, February 1993, pp.48-57

Sageot was admitted as Master cabinetmaker in the Parisian Corporation in 1706. His workshop was prosperous very rapidly as in 1711, at the time of his marriage Sageot valued his estate at twelve thousand livres (18^th century French currency) to which were added the two thousand five hundred livres from his wife's dowry. His success was undeniable and throughout the years beginning at the end of the Louix XIV period to the Régence and finally to the early Louis XV period, he was at the height of his success. His workshop named the 'Soufflet Royal' was located opposite the Bastille at the corner of the large rue du faubourg Saint-Antoine and of the rue de la Roquette. Besides a clientele of parisian collectors and a very important clientele of French aristocracy, his clients included Maximilian II Emmanuel, Prince Elector of Bavaria (1662-1726) as well as King Frederick Ist of Sweden (1676-1751). The sale of thirty-two  pieces of furniture, all at a considerable high cost, to Claude Léonard Prieur, Marchand Mercier Joaillier privilégié du Roy  illustrates in no uncertain terms something exceptional about Sageot's production and its quality. Among the thirty-two furniture pieces we can find dome-shaped bookcases and armoires "with lateral panels marqueted, which were sold between nine hundred and a thousand livres as well as other bookcases sold at five hundred livres each. Fifteen beautiful commodes complete the set together with a 'grand bureau' sold at  seven hundred livres, two additional smaller bureaux after a model no longer in fashion and probably with 8 legs, and others still with ' jambe de biche'. All these furniture pieces, without exception are marqueted with tortoiseshell and copper. The high value of the armoires mentioned in this contract needs to be pointed out as it is exceptional. The value of Sageot's armoires, the part they play within the range of the production of his workshop are part of the characteristics which correspond to the  harmony we see in the study of his pieces which we can still see today. The only parallel that can be drawn with his armoires is with the armoires by André-Charles Boulle and the high prices they fetched.

In 1723, Sageot was stricken with mental illness and on the 22nd September 1725, at the request of his wife and after an official enquiry, the Lieutenant Civil instructed his internment at the Hopital Charenton Hospital. It appears that his wife did continue her husband's activity only for a short time as she died in 1729. The inventory that was drawn up following these events shows the remains of a workshop which hadn't thrived for some years and of which the most important pieces had been sold. One can nevertheless find a mention of 'soixante-cinq livres pesant (32kg) de Cahouanne prisé à raison de cinquante sols la livre'- (32 kg worth of Cahouanne tortoise shell, valued at 50 'sols'  to each 'livre' in weight). The mention of the material of Cahouanne corresponds with the quality of Sageot's early production, as we know that the cahouanne' was the most prized variety of tortoise shell existing.

Among the bookcases marked by Sageot we can mention the pair marked NS which was sold in NY (Sotheby's 25th May 2000 - lot 322) or the one which was marked twice and which was sold in Paris (Sotheby's, 30th November 2011, lot 35).