A French late 19th century ormolu-mounted kingwood and satiné bombé commode probably after a design by Léon Messagé
183
A French late 19th century ormolu-mounted kingwood and satiné parquetry bombé commode
probably after a design by Léon Messagé, made by Zwiener or Jansen Successeur, possibly retailed by François Linke
the serpentine Breccia marble top, above two long drawers decorated sans traverse with three en soleil parquetry panels within scrolling foliate cartouches, flanked to each angle by an espagnolette with open corset issuing a long acanthus leaf, the bombé sides within a foliate surround, on paw feet, one mount inscribed F.Linke, 152cm wide, 67cm deep, 92cm high (59.5" wide, 26" deep, 36" high).
Sold for £52,800 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • This commode is a perfect example of the exhuberant rococo style introduced by the designer and sculptor Léon Messagé and developed by Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener and François Linke, announcing the Art Nouveau. Zwiener received the collaboration of Léon Messagé for the 1882 Exhibition in Paris and it is most likely that the present lot has been created by Messagé. The espagnolettes with open corsets are typical of Zwiener's work, they can notably be seen on a bombé shaped commode illustrated in Camille Mestdagh,L'ameublement d'art français (1850-1900), Archives photographiques Pierre Lécoules, fig.17.
    Jansen took over the business in 1895, he then purchased Zwiener's master models and continued to execute his predecessor's masterpieces.

    A commode with similar corner mounts marked ZN for Zwiener sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 October 2008, lot 196.

    Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener (born in 1849) established his workshop 12, rue de la Roquette and worked in Paris between 1880 and 1895. Jean-Henri Jansen (1854-1929) who began a career in decorating, rue Royale, succeeded to Zwiener in 1895 and renamed the business 'Zwiener Jansen successeur'.

    Literature:
    Camille Mestdagh, L'ameublement d'art français (1850-1900), 2010.

Category: Furniture / Fine Furniture and Works of Art

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