Estate / Collection: Property from the Estate of Elaine and James D. Wolfensohn
Circle of David Roentgen, possibly by Johannes Kroll, Mainz, circa 1795
With brass banding and ormolu applied to ebony and part-ebonized backing, the three-quarter galleried superstructure with inset white marble top centerd by a pointed arch with a foliate-cast mount, the corners mounted with urns above a berried laurel leaf-mounted frieze centered and flanked by lozenge mounts over a pair of flame-grained mahogany tambour doors opening to shelves above small drawers, the central Apollo mask-mounted herm panel hinged and opening to four drawers, flanked by ormolu caryatid herms, the projecting lower section above a frieze drawer with an ebony-backed ormolu panel and centering a keyhole flanked by opposing sphinxes, scrolling foliage, flowers and displayed eagles, further flanked by ormolu lion's head ring handles and reeded lozenge backplates and opening to a baize-lined writing surface frieze with side drawers with concealed spring-loaded action and opening at the front to drawers, the right drawer with inkwell recesses; on faceted octagonal legs headed by arched milleraies panels and long leaf-cast capitals and joined by a galleried concave undertier and ending in leaf-cast toupie feet, the back of the lower section with two catches for wall securement; the front of the underside with inked inscription No=86. ; the back of the upper section with a penciled inscription Salle 56.
Height 52 3/4 in (133.9 cm), width 35 1/2 in (90.1 cm), depth 23 in (58.4 cm)
Pelham Galleries, London.
Grosvenor House Arts & Antiques Fair, London, 1986.
Comparative literature,
A related cupboard by Johannes Krol is illustrated in Kreissel/Himmelheber, Die kunst des deutschen Möbels, Klassismus, Historismus, Jugendstil, München Verlag, C.H. Beck, Munchen, 1970, ill.160.
David Roentgen (1743-1807) was the most sought-after cabinet maker in Europe, where he worked for royal and aristocratic patrons including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. His reputation was based on the highest degree of craftsmanship and quality of materials as well as for ingenious and intricately made pieces with multiple functions. He went to St. Petersburg in 1784 where he was presented to Catherine the Great, who bought his whole shipment of furniture, including the Apollo Desk (State Hermitage, St. Petersburg) that he had specially designed for her. This was described by the Empress in a letter to the former diplomat and Roentgen client Baron von Grimm: 'his furniture is very finely and precisely made, especially those pieces with mechanical devices'. She was so pleased with the desk, she paid the asking price, gave Roentgen a gold box and an additional bonus of 5,000 rubles. His furniture of this period was characterized by restrained architectural forms and the use of mahogany offset by dazzling ormolu mounts.
However, it is possible that this Bonheur du Jour was made by Roentgen's contemporary Johannes Kroll (d. 1795). Kroll, who originated from Riga, worked in Roentgen's Neuwied workshop in 1779, but by 1781 had already worked on a commission for the elector of Mainz, for whom he supplied a 'Treasure of mahogany with Neuwied musical clock and richly decorated with gilt-bronze'.
As this piece is not signed, an attribution is not possible. However, the exceptional design, materials and execution speak to a maker of the highest caliber.
Estate / Collection: Property from the Estate of Elaine and James D. Wolfensohn
Circle of David Roentgen, possibly by Johannes Kroll, Mainz, circa 1795
With brass banding and ormolu applied to ebony and part-ebonized backing, the three-quarter galleried superstructure with inset white marble top centerd by a pointed arch with a foliate-cast mount, the corners mounted with urns above a berried laurel leaf-mounted frieze centered and flanked by lozenge mounts over a pair of flame-grained mahogany tambour doors opening to shelves above small drawers, the central Apollo mask-mounted herm panel hinged and opening to four drawers, flanked by ormolu caryatid herms, the projecting lower section above a frieze drawer with an ebony-backed ormolu panel and centering a keyhole flanked by opposing sphinxes, scrolling foliage, flowers and displayed eagles, further flanked by ormolu lion's head ring handles and reeded lozenge backplates and opening to a baize-lined writing surface frieze with side drawers with concealed spring-loaded action and opening at the front to drawers, the right drawer with inkwell recesses; on faceted octagonal legs headed by arched milleraies panels and long leaf-cast capitals and joined by a galleried concave undertier and ending in leaf-cast toupie feet, the back of the lower section with two catches for wall securement; the front of the underside with inked inscription No=86. ; the back of the upper section with a penciled inscription Salle 56.
Height 52 3/4 in (133.9 cm), width 35 1/2 in (90.1 cm), depth 23 in (58.4 cm)
Pelham Galleries, London.
Grosvenor House Arts & Antiques Fair, London, 1986.
Notes:Comparative literature,
A related cupboard by Johannes Krol is illustrated in Kreissel/Himmelheber, Die kunst des deutschen Möbels, Klassismus, Historismus, Jugendstil, München Verlag, C.H. Beck, Munchen, 1970, ill.160.
David Roentgen (1743-1807) was the most sought-after cabinet maker in Europe, where he worked for royal and aristocratic patrons including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. His reputation was based on the highest degree of craftsmanship and quality of materials as well as for ingenious and intricately made pieces with multiple functions. He went to St. Petersburg in 1784 where he was presented to Catherine the Great, who bought his whole shipment of furniture, including the Apollo Desk (State Hermitage, St. Petersburg) that he had specially designed for her. This was described by the Empress in a letter to the former diplomat and Roentgen client Baron von Grimm: 'his furniture is very finely and precisely made, especially those pieces with mechanical devices'. She was so pleased with the desk, she paid the asking price, gave Roentgen a gold box and an additional bonus of 5,000 rubles. His furniture of this period was characterized by restrained architectural forms and the use of mahogany offset by dazzling ormolu mounts.
However, it is possible that this Bonheur du Jour was made by Roentgen's contemporary Johannes Kroll (d. 1795). Kroll, who originated from Riga, worked in Roentgen's Neuwied workshop in 1779, but by 1781 had already worked on a commission for the elector of Mainz, for whom he supplied a 'Treasure of mahogany with Neuwied musical clock and richly decorated with gilt-bronze'.
As this piece is not signed, an attribution is not possible. However, the exceptional design, materials and execution speak to a maker of the highest caliber.
English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts
In overall good restored condition, staining, scratches and scuffs to marble, chips to edge, sunfading overall, especially to left side, left side of upper section case with small age crack at bottom center, rubbing to gilding of mounts and probably re-gilt, minor replacements to veneers, age cracks to veneer of projecting lower section with some inpainting, age cracks to undertier and now with four reinforcements below.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
See our 'Buying at Doyle' page for more information.
Auction: Old Master Paintings / Phipps Collection / Silver / English & Continental Furniture, Jan 29, 2025
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's auction on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 will offer 19th Century & Old Master Paintings & Drawings as well as The Collection of Howard Phipps Jr., Erchless, Westbury.
The auction onWednesday, January 29 at 10am will feature English & Continental Decorative Arts and English & Continental Silver.
Consignments are currently being accepted. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
See our Conditions of Sale.