Ref.10050
Antique cast iron fireback with wedding coat of arms of Gilles Brunet, Marquis of la Palisse, and Françoise-Suzanne Bignon

Made during the 18th century, this Louis XIV style fireback with beautiful dimensions is decorated with the arms of Gilles Brunet's alliance, Marquis of the Palisse and Françoise-Suzanne Bignon, married in 1715. Supported by two greyhounds, two ecus are surmounted with a marquis crown. The ecu on the left is torn between 1 and 4, a golden crawling greyhound, featuring a crenelated border of sand, 2 and 3 argent features the head of Maure . The ecu on the right is blue on the silver cross of cavalry set on a Vert mount from which a vine adjoined to the cross escapes, all of it is framed by four silver flames. See the work of Philippe Palasi "Heraldic firebacks", p. 226 for a similar model.

Ref.10637
Napoleon III monumental vase in Porcelain of Paris with the Triumph of Venus mounted in gilt bronze with espagnolettes

This exceptional monumental vase in porcelain of Paris, conceived in the spirit of the Sèvres Manufactory’s productions, is quite characteristic of the Napoleon III style . The long neck of the shape is extremely rare, as well as the gilt bronzes’ richness of ornamentation. Its dimensions and its important bronze mount indicate a ceremonial piece, of supreme luxury, comparable to those the Manufactory exhibited at the World's Fairs . Evoking the aristocratic art of the Ancien Regime in many ways, this vase pays tribute to the refinements of the 18th century, and could have been commissioned to decorate the mansion of a 19th century personality.Indeed, the “Celestial blue” background, embellished with gold arabesques, is characteristic of the porcelains from the Royal Manufactory of Vincennes as early as 1753, which became the Sèvres Manufactory. It is a famous blue, difficult to obtain, which served to decorate the first service delivered to Louis XV.The lively shapes of the bronze base also evoke the art of the ornamentalists in Louis XV’s time, such as Jean-Claude Duplessis or Gouthiere, who were in charge of drawing gilt bronze mounts for China porcelain. The bronze mount of our vase is hence very close to the Duplessis’ ornementations.The two espagnolettes, with sheathed busts of women holding garlands of flowers, seem to evoke the sculptures that adorn the front of Marie Antoinette ’s Theater at the Petit Trianon of the Versailles Palace. This large vase is decorated with painted medallions, hosting a still life on one side and the miniatures of famous subjects on the other. Indeed, it is an unambiguous composition after François Boucher's The Triumph of Venus (1740) that adorns the large main medallion, while the small medallion on the neck represents a famous portrait of the Princess of Lamballe. The characters of the large medallion are all present in Boucher's original painting, but the porcelain painter has reinterpreted them to propose a more concentrated composition, fitting perfectly to the surface of the vase. One recognizes the large striped veil characteristic of this painting where putti are spinning, as well as the group around Venus, especially the Triton with a seaweed crown, and the Mermaid with the diadem of pearls. The Tritons with the conchs present to the left of the painting were thus brought closer to the main group in this miniature. Let us note  that the composition has been reversed, probably having been made from an engraving of the painting.The medallion on the neck of the vase is a portrait of Madame de Lamballe, an intimate friend of Queen Marie Antoinette , who became Superintendent of the Queen's House. Numerous miniatures have been produced from a famous painting by Louis-Edouard Rioult where she appears wearing a crown of flowers and ribbons. The Princesse de Lamballe is known for her virtue and renowned sweetness, but also for her interest in the Enlightenment.This monumental vase is an important work, characteristic of the grandiose productions presented at the World's Fairs of the time of Napoleon III. But it is also a work of art full of references to the art of the 18th century, heir of the Age of Enlightenment.

Ref.11266
André-Fernand THESMAR (1843-1912) and Ferdinand BARBEDIENNE (1810-1892) - Ornamental japanese style plate

Plate in gilded bronze and cloisonné enamel decorated with cockatoo on a blue background. Following the example of the enamel workshops of the factory of Sevres, Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810 - 1892) introduced enamel in its making of art works: “byzantine” champlevé enamels from the end of the 1850s, then neo-Renaissance painted enamels and cloissone enamels with Far-Eastern influence. No other company managed to integrate with such success the use of enamel in an industrial production. After some attempts with independent enamelers, , Barbedienne ensured the exclusive collaboration of remarkable practitioners: Alfred Serre for the painted enamel (before 1872) and Fernand Thesmar for clossoine enamel (after 1872). This plate is a beautiful example of the important production that Barbedienne developed in the years 1870 - 1880, at a time when luxury enamel on precious metals was experience a real craze. The motifs of flowers, birds and insects is again found in a series of similar pieces, combining classic shapes and designs of oriental taste, including a glass kept at the Orsay Museum in Paris and another kept at the Walters Art Gallery, in Baltimore. Andre-Fernand Thesmar, born March 4 1843 in Chalon-sur-Saone, first devoted himself to oil painting and was known as a painter of flowers. He was educated in drawing in a factory for printed-fabric in Mulhouse where he had been placed at fourteen years old to learn the trade of a draftsman. His teacher was a painter of flowers: he “drew and dissected the plant with fury, requiring an anatomical analysis of shapes and a meticulous copy of nature.” He left this industrial environment to go to Paris in 1860 and engaged in various activities (workshop of industrial drawing and studio decoration for Cambon’s theater.) It was probably for his talent as a painter that Thesmar was noticed in 1872 by Ferdinand Barbedienne. With Barbedienne, later Thesmar succeeded to the management of the production of enamels. The productions of Thesmar and Barbedienne reflected the interest that they had for the decorative techniques and compositions of Japanese enamel. It was as “co-operator of the Barbedienne company” that Thesmar exhibited at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in 1874, A cock pheasant from China and Floral Bouquets from greenhouse where they admired his talent as a painter of flowers. At the exposition in 1875, Thesmar exhibited two large enamel compositions on leather, one of which displayed a wader with water lilies and bright yellow iris, completely in the style of our plate and showing the style of the return to nature. In 1891, Thesmar turned to the decoration of porcelain and introduced himself to Charles Lauth who, since 1879, led the Factory de Sèvres. Its at this time that the collaboration with the Barbedienne company ended. Afterwards, he would be especially known for having invented the “plique à jour” technique, which numerous pieces of are kept in public collections.

Ref.12325
Pendulum from a model by Jean Baptiste Pigalle in Carrara marble from the end of the 19th century

Date pendulum from the end of the 19th century, made of Carrara marble, inspired by a model by Jean Baptiste Pigalle representing a writing Love, leaning on a terminal and sitting down his quiver. White enamelled dial signed "Guydamour à Paris", movement signed "Denière à Paris" and "Japy Frères". On its velvet base.

Ref.13732
Manufacture de Sèvres - Pair of vases Delhi model with a polychrome floral decoration, 1875

This pair of vases was made in the Manufacture de Sèvres in 1875 as indicates the mark under the base "S75". It is the Delhi model created in 1851 by Jules-Constant-Jean-Baptiste PEYRE (1811-1871), designer in chief of the manufactory in 1845-1848 and in 1856-1871. With a belly shape on the lower part and resting on a more narrow feet, this model with a long neck which is spreading as it extended, marked by a ring. Our pair of vases depict a delicate polychrome floral decoration on a plain white background and of which each part is limited by a gold edging. Under the direction of Victor Regnault, the production of the Manufacture de Sèvres has pulled away from the Empire inspiration to explore a modern technologic potential. This is how the pasta on pasta, the cross-linked pasta or trompe-l'oeil decoration were created. However, after the resignation of Victor Regnault in 1870, the new Republic Parliament threatened to cut the manufactory budget if reforms were not set up. Thus, the direction of the manufactory was given to the chemist and painter Louis Robert until his retreat in 1879 and an improvement commission was created in 1871. It's the ceramist Théodore Deck – member of the commission and a few years later director of the manufactory between 1887 et 1891 – who settled in 1875 a program for the reorientation of the esthetic choices and the creation of new technics executed by Carrier‐Belleuse and the chief chemist Alphonse Louis Salvetat (1846‐1880) then Georges Vogt (1880‐1891). This program promised the creation of a china closer to the oriental pasta allowing colors better glazed, the use of Chinese type transparent and opaque enamels in limited numbers, and the research of the copper red. From 1880, technical progresses are noticed and new decoration styles are spotlighted. The manufactory production under the Third Republic mostly answers to orders for embassies, ministers and other public and prestigious buildings. Nevertheless, vases stay the masterpiece of the manufactory production which develops the highest creativity to constantly renew the sizes and the models. A pair of the same model vases is conserved in the Mobilier National and illustrated on Second Empire et IIIe République, de l'audace à la jubilation de Brigitte Ducrot, published in 2008 in the collection Sèvres, une histoire céramique.

Ref.13521
Gilt and sculpted wood bed with a very rich Rococo decoration and dragons coming from Marlène Dietrich's Parisian appartment

This bed with an impressive decor was made of gilt and sculpted wood in the 20th century and comes from the old apartment of the French actress Marlène Dietrich (1901-1992). The headboard is adorned with an opulent Rococo decoration with curved edges, showing stylized shells with acanthus leaves coilings. The whole is lightened up with two small dragons put on each side threateningly and with a winding body. The foodboard also shows a very rich sculpted decoration composed of impressive volutes with acanthus leaves put all around a stylised shell. On the bed's frame a gadrooned frieze and an interlaced one are running, while the sides each receive splendid shell decor from where are escaping acanthus leaves and flower garlands.

Ref.11023
J. VIEILLARD & CIE Manufacture, A rare dish decorated with Koi carp in Japanese style

This superb ornamental dish with a Japanese-style decor of koi carps was executed by the Jules Vieillard & Cie Manufacture in the 1870s. After the death of Jules Vieillard in 1868, the Jules Vieillard & Cie Manufacture, then the third largest ceramic factory in France, passed to his sons, Albert and Charles. The Vieillard brothers then developed new designs and shapes, launching a production of artistic faience intended to decorate the finest interiors.

Ref.15763
Portrait of a Young Woman by Leopold Franz Kowalski

Léopold-Franz Kowalsky (1856–1931) was a French painter famous for his portraits of young women and pastoral scenes. A student of Henri Lehmann, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1878 and then took classes at the Académie Julian. He made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1881 and exhibited there until 1914. This portrait of an elegant young woman is striking for its immediacy and frontal perspective. The low wall on which she is leaning and the vegetal background reinforce the model's physical presence. With her body in three-quarter view and her face facing forward, she is posing for the artist but seems ready to get up; her chin is barely resting in her right hand and her left hand is placed on her hip, indicating that she has only just settled down. The treatment of the folds in the sleeve accentuates the presence and materiality of the fabric. With her red hair adorned with a floral headband, the model's features and pale skin are reminiscent of the figures dear to the Pre-Raphaelite painters. Our painting is in excellent condition. The model, whose identity is unknown, is similar to The Badminton Player (Bonhams Skinner Marlborough sale, November 2, 2023, lot 96). Signed lower right: “L. Kowalsky.”